Governor’s health benefits claim a favorite from 2011

Republicans in Ohio offered a variety of arguments to justify their controversial effort to overhaul the state’s collective bargaining law.

Their changes moved through the Statehouse in Senate Bill 5 with strong support from Republican Gov. John Kasich. The legislation prompted unions to fight back with protests and a statewide referendum. The law was ultimately repealed by voters in November.

As the bill was debated, Kasich hit on one of the key arguments in an interview with Fox News, noting the relatively low price public workers pay towards their employer-supported health care plans.

“Our average private sector employee pays 23 percent for their health care,” Kasich said. “Our average city worker in Ohio pays 9 percent.”

PolitiFact Ohio rated Kasich’s claim True.

The item was selected as one of the favorites of the year by the editors who set the Truth-O-Meter ratings for PolitiFact Ohio.