Capitol News

Ann Arbor business owners are reporting increased costs due to tariffs supported by Senate candidate Mike Rogers, according to a recent CBS News Detroit segment. The tariffs have led to higher expenses for local businesses, who say they are forced to pass these increases on to consumers.

A Goldman Sachs report indicates that by the end of the year, American consumers will absorb more than half of tariff-related fees, while importing businesses will cover about a fifth. Local examples illustrate the impact: Zingerman’s Delicatessen saw its customs fees rise from $9,000 last year to $43,000 this year. “We can’t just absorb that difference between $9,000 and $43,000 ourselves. So we have had to raise the cost of items pretty much across the board,” said Grace Singleton of Zingerman’s Delicatessen.

Diana Marsh, owner of Thistle & Bess in Ann Arbor, shared a similar experience. “We got a smaller, $500 order of a specialty item coming over, and we had an almost $200 tariff bill on that specific order. So it drastically changes the amount that we’re charging,” Marsh said. She also noted that rising prices for materials like gold and silver and supply chain challenges have further contributed to price hikes.

At a recent campaign event, Rogers defended his support for tariffs and dismissed concerns about inflation and consumer prices. He argued that higher prices are “worth the financial strife being put on the American people.” Rogers also claimed that “working families [are] not paying more” because of the tariffs he supports.

Michigan Democratic Party spokesperson Joey Hannum criticized Rogers’ stance: “While Mike Rogers makes fun of people worried about higher prices, his reckless tariffs are bleeding small businesses dry and raising costs for everyone. Rogers’ message is clear: he wants to stick working people with the bill while millionaires like himself get another tax handout. He couldn’t be more out of touch if he tried.”

Business owners in Ann Arbor say the current tariff policy is making it difficult for them to maintain longstanding supplier relationships and manage operating costs.

For further details see CBS News Detroit’s coverage at https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/ann-arbor-business-owners-say-tariffs-are-driving-up-their-prices/.