By joining the House Democrat opposition to oppose “The Big Beautiful Bill” and the extension of 2017 Trump income tax cuts, 3rd District Congresswoman Sharice Davids voted for a massive income tax increase on earners in her election stronghold of Johnson County. But JOCO Democrats – and Davids herself – aren’t responding to questions.
Davids cast the single “nay” vote from the Kansas congressional contingent Thursday, joining every other Democrat in the congress to oppose the eventual passage of the bill by a margin of 215-214. Three Republicans refused to support the bill – Andrew Garbarino New York and David Schweikert of Arizona did not vote on the measure, and Andy Harris of Maryland voted “present.” Action on the bill now turns to the U.S. Senate, where a compromise measure of some sort is expected.
WHAT’S IN THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL
Besides its wide ranging policy measures pursuing President Trump’s national agenda, the BBB extended Trump tax cuts under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which were set to expire at the end of 2025. The expiration of those tax cuts would have resulted in massive income tax increases for Americans, particularly businesses and its top earners. Every Democrat on the floor voted against the bill, which would have meant a $4 trillion tax increase for American taxpayers as of January 1, 2026.
/Fox4 News Kansas City video capture
Johnson County, where Davids draws her heaviest electoral support, has the highest average household income in the state at some $143,000 according to 2023 statistics, compared to a median of about $73,000 for Kansas as a whole. Davids won almost 55 percent of the vote in Johnson County over Republican challenger Prasanth Reddy in the 2024 election, a vote that saw JOCO lean 53 percent for Kamala Harris in the presidential election. She also won in the portion of Wyandotte County which falls in her district, but lost heavily in rural Franklin, Anderson and Miami counties.
Available tax data doesn’t reflect the income tax totals paid by Johnson County earners, but nationally, middle-income households earning between $51,000 and $93,000 annually saw an average tax cut of approximately $815, equating to a 1.2% increase in after-tax income. Johnson County is home to the most affluent cities in Kansas however, so the impact of the Trump tax cuts is substantial there.
Households earning $1 million or more were expected to see an average tax cut of about $70,000 in 2025 due to the TCAJ. As of 2023 Mission Hills had an average household income of $483,515. Leawood averaged $257,427. Within the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS), Johnson County had 167 retirees receiving pension benefits exceeding $1 million over their retirement period.
But Johnson County Democrats aren’t saying whether they’re concerned Davids turning her back on those tax cuts will translate to the 2026 ballot box. JOCO Democrat Party Chairman Deann Mitchell did not return an email from the Kansas Informer Friday seeking comment. Nor did acting executive directory Jessica Persson or Community Outreach Coordinator Heather Carlos.
Communications staff at both Davids congressional and campaign offices did not reply to emails on Friday, and Davids has not yet responded to messages at her Facebook and “X” pages.
Dane Hicks is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate School at Quantico, VA. He is the author of novels "The Skinning Tree" and "A Whisper For Help." As publisher of the Anderson County Review in Garnett, KS., he is a recipient of the Kansas Press Association's Boyd Community Service Award as well as more than 60 awards for excellence in news, editorial and photography.
