Kansas deserves the truth about Ron Estes and the ‘Big Beautiful’ tax bill | Opinion

As Kansans prepare to file their taxes, they are being told a familiar story: that Washington just delivered historic relief to working families. In fact, that was the subject of a recent guest commentary in The Derby Informer by Rep. Ron Estes, in which he touts reforms to the tax code passed as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill last summer.

In the same vein, you may have seen Rep. Estes’ new TV ad where he’s handing out what appear to be $6,000 checks to older adults. Let’s be clear: Those checks don’t exist — and Kansans deserve to know that.

What Congress actually passed in the One Big Beautiful Bill was a $6,000 tax deduction for some older taxpayers who fall within certain income thresholds — not a payment, not a refund. For most Kansans, that translates to savings of hundreds of dollars at best. That’s a far cry from the thousands being implied by the incumbent’s ad.

The good news is that Kansans are paying attention. I’ve heard from people across the district in recent weeks who are legitimately angry about Estes’ false advertising. The bad news is that this appears to be a pattern.

Take the much-touted “no tax on tips” and “no tax on overtime” in the bill. While those might sound like major wins for workers, the reality is far more nuanced. Overtime base pay is still taxed like regular income. It’s only the “half” portion of “time and a half” that sees any benefit. For many workers putting in long hours, the difference is marginal — not transformational.

And even those limited benefits are only temporary. They are set to expire after the 2028 tax year, while the largest tax cuts in the bill — those benefiting the wealthiest Americans — are permanent. This is especially offensive when one considers that according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the top 10% of households will receive tax cuts averaging more than $14,700 per year under the One Big Beautiful Bill.

Additionally, Rep. Estes claims “working-class families” are seeing about $1,000 in additional tax refunds. Unfortunately, he leaves out any mention of the increased costs Kansans are paying elsewhere as a result of reckless tariff policies out of Washington.

Last year’s tariffs — which are essentially taxes on American consumers — are driving up prices on everyday goods. From groceries to school supplies, those costs add up fast. Economists estimate that they are costing the average household around $1,200 a year. That means any modest tax savings are not just canceled out — they are wiped out, and then some. Add to that rising costs for things such as health care and fuel, and it’s a recipe for real strain on Kansans’ pocketbooks.

So while Washington celebrates “tax cuts,” Kansas families are still paying more at the grocery store, more to keep their farms running, and more just to stay afloat in an economy that doesn’t feel any easier.

There’s another contradiction that Kansans shouldn’t ignore. Just the day before his commentary was published, Rep. Estes warned in his weekly email newsletter about our national debt reaching $39 trillion. Yet he voted in favor of the One Big Beautiful Bill, and brags about its impacts, which independent analyses show will add trillions more to that debt in the years ahead, while delivering its largest benefits to the wealthiest among us.

Kansans deserve consistency. If we are serious about fiscal responsibility, we cannot celebrate policies that deepen the very problem we claim to be concerned about. It’s time to put a premium on honesty again.

We can build a tax system that is straightforward, transparent and truly focused on working families — not one that relies on fine print and misleading ads to sell something it isn’t. But it will take electing an independent voice to Congress with the political will to tell the truth and fight for everyday Kansans.

Because let’s face it: At the end of the day, Kansans don’t need another political sales pitch. They need the truth — and they deserve leaders who respect them enough to tell it. That’s why I’m running.

Katy Tyndell is an attorney, business owner and Democratic candidate for Kansas’ 4th Congressional District.