One Big Beautiful Bill or One Big Beautiful Burden?

Breaking Down What the OBBBA Means for Ohio Families

On July 4, 2025, President Donald Trump signed into law the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA)—a sweeping federal budget package with national reach but deep consequences for Ohio. While the bill has been marketed as a win for working families, small businesses, and the economy at large, there’s much more under the surface. As both a journalist and a paralegal, I feel a responsibility to help unpack the fine print, especially for the people who are most likely to be impacted but least likely to be informed. Here's what you need to know about what this bill really does and doesn’t do for Ohioans.

Tax Relief or Temporary Relief?

At the surface level, the OBBBA provides tax cuts that sound appealing: elimination of federal tax on tips and overtime, an increase in the child tax credit, and the permanent extension of the standard deduction. For many Ohioans, that translates to larger paychecks and a lighter financial burden. But what’s not being said is this: while take-home pay might go up, the costs of housing, healthcare, food, and education are not coming down. And when social safety nets shrink, as they do in other parts of this bill, that extra money may not stretch as far as it seems.

Healthcare Reform or Healthcare Restriction?

The OBBBA reshapes Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act in ways that could hit working-class and low-income Ohioans hardest. New work requirements are being imposed on certain adults, and federal payments for emergency Medicaid are being reduced, especially in states like Ohio that did not fully expand Medicaid. Translation? Thousands could lose their healthcare coverage in the next few years. These aren’t just numbers; they’re people. Parents. Elders. Folks working two jobs but still falling below the poverty line. These shifts create uncertainty and, for many, a silent panic.

Student Loan Changes with Long-Term Effects

For students and graduates across Ohio, the OBBBA brings unsettling changes. It eliminates the SAVE plan, alters borrowing limits, and revises repayment programs, leaving many unsure of what their financial futures now look like. This is especially devastating for Black students and first-generation college graduates, groups who statistically carry the heaviest debt burdens and have historically depended on federal protection in repayment options.

Agriculture and Assistance Programs—A Mixed Bag

Ohio’s rural communities and farmers are seeing new language in the bill tied to agriculture subsidies, but the specifics are buried and unclear. What is clear is the shift in food nutrition programs which many low-income families rely on. The bill proposes stricter eligibility requirements for benefits like SNAP, which could tighten access to groceries for thousands.

Food insecurity isn’t just a rural issue or an urban one. It’s a human one. And if this bill adds red tape to survival, that’s not relief—that’s regulation.

Cuts to Environmental & Justice Initiatives

One of the most controversial parts of the OBBBA is its quiet elimination of green energy tax credits and environmental justice programs. These programs were built to address racial and economic disparities in communities hit hardest by pollution and climate change. Ohio cities like Cleveland, Akron, and Dayton are already disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards. So whose air and water are really being protected now? Certainly not ours.

Us Big Promises, Bigger Consequences?

The OBBBA is being celebrated in some circles as a win for American workers and businesses. But legislation that gives with one hand while taking with the other deserves real scrutiny. If we want Ohio to move forward, where our children stay healthy, our elders are respected, and working families finally get relief, we have to ask the hard question. Who does this bill really serve, and what are we giving up in return?

Final Thoughts: Don’t Just Survive the Law—Understand It

Legislation like the OBBBA affects more than tax returns; it affects access to healthcare, education, food, justice, and the future. As your journalist and paralegal on the ground, I encourage everyone to read beyond the headlines. Stay engaged, talk with your community, and never stop asking questions, especially when the language is complicated on purpose.

We deserve more than soundbites. We deserve the full story. And I’m here to make sure you get it.

Journalist Shay

Paralegal | Reporter | Advocate

📍 Akron, OH | 📧 journalistshay@gmail.com