Problems with Ohio EITC: It’s not refundable, it has a cap, and it’s too low

Gov. Kasich’s Mid-Biennium Review proposal to expand the credit from 5 percent to 15 percent is a step in the right direction, but more must be done to ensure the credit benefits Ohio’s poorest working families.

Founded in 1975, the federal earned income tax credit (EITC) is our nation’s most effective antipoverty program. Annually, it lifts over 6 million families out of poverty, half of whom are children. The program has traditionally had bipartisan support and rewards work, because only families with earned income can claim the credit. Last tax season, over 950,000 Ohio families claimed the federal EITC