Voters question value of new tax cuts as service costs rise

Resident Amber Mader in Arkansas says the One Big Beautiful Bill Act has reduced the home health care and transportation services she relies on. Mader, who is disabled and paralyzed, depends on Medicaid and Social Security Disability. She stated that the tax cuts provide no direct financial benefit to her household. Instead, she faces daily disruptions to basic services. These changes are influencing how she evaluates candidates in the 2026 midterm elections.

President Donald Trump signed the law in July 2025. The legislation includes tax breaks and cuts to specific social service programs. At a rally in Corpus Christi on Tuesday, Trump described the measure as delivering the largest tax cuts in American history. He noted that the bill was passed by a Republican Congress.

Republican candidates have promoted the law throughout the election cycle. Representative Derrick Van Order of Wisconsin spoke at the GOP midterm convention in September. He told voters that the law removes taxes on tips and overtime. Republicans argue these provisions help lower the burden on working Americans.

Democratic candidates focus on the law's impact on wealthier taxpayers. In Texas, Senate candidate James Talarico proposed repealing tax breaks for the top 1% of earners. In an August interview, he suggested using that money for a cost-of-living tax adjustment for the middle class. He argued these policies benefit Texans more directly.

Dr. Todd Belt, a professor at George Washington University, said the law is not strongly influencing voter decisions yet. He cited affordability concerns as the primary issue for many people. Belt noted that voters complain about gasoline, groceries, health care, and child care costs. He observed that small tax cuts are not offsetting these rising expenses.

Elena Patel, co-director of the Urban Brookings Tax Policy Center, said tax policy is a difficult tool for fixing immediate affordability problems. Patel explained that early changes benefited middle and lower-class families. However, she predicted that people will notice the law benefits high-income earners more as time passes. Voters like Mader are already feeling the strain of reduced services.