CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN AND DUTCHESS COUNTY SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS CONTINUE TO RAISE THE ALARM: “TARIFFS ARE ANOTHER TAX WE JUST CAN’T AFFORD”

Congressman Pat Ryan and Dutchess County Small Business Owners Continue to Raise the Alarm: "Tariffs are Another Tax We Just Can't Afford"

Throughout the summer, Congressman Ryan met with small business owners across Dutchess, Orange, and Ulster Counties who have been harmed by the President's price-raising tariffs; owners do not want to raise prices but say they now have no choice

Ryan joined an effort in the House to reverse the national emergency Trump declared in order to enact his tariffs, and opposed a measure by House Republicans to cede their ability to challenge tariffs to the President - kneecapping Congress's ability to stand up for their constituents being crushed by high prices

Ryan has had repeated success pushing back against harmful federal policies by rallying with the local community and elevating their voices

RED HOOK, NY - Today, Congressman Pat Ryan completed his Small Business Listening Tour, where he traveled to all three NY-18 counties to speak with small business owners and leaders, and hear how new tariffs are harming their businesses.

In meetings with Chamber of Commerce members from Dutchess, Orange, and Ulster Counties, Ryan heard that - in addition to federal cuts impacting every member of the Hudson Valley community - small business owners are carrying the additional burden of tariffs, forcing them to raise prices, threatening their profits as well as local economies.

Ryan joined an effort in the House to reverse the national emergency Trump declared in order to enact his tariffs, and opposed a measure by House Republicans to cede their ability to challenge tariffs to the President - kneecapping Congress's ability to stand up for their constituents being crushed by high prices.

"We don't have billion dollar corporations in the Hudson Valley. What we proudly do have are tons of small businesses that clothe our kids, feed our families, and employ our friends. They don't want to raise prices, but Trump's tariffs are giving them no choice," said Congressman Pat Ryan. "Folks cannot afford to pay higher prices - and they shouldn't have to. Our small businesses have been bearing these costs, and now every Hudson Valley family is feeling that burden as well. Once again, it is up to impacted members of our community to stand up, stand our ground, and loudly call out these harms where we see them. I'll be taking the concerns of every last Hudson Valley business owner back with me to Washington to fight like hell for our small businesses and entire community."

"As the owner of a cut flower farm who specializes in growing all its flowers locally, we still rely on a very intricate network of bulb and seed providers, farm equipment, fertilizer, vases and much more that come from overseas," said Colin Stark, Owner of Stark Blooms Flower Farm and Executive Director of the Red Hook Area Chamber of Commerce. "We are seeing an increase of 10-20% being charged back to our farm in order to keep our farm running for all of these materials. On top of this, we continue to suffer from inflation pricing. As a small business, it's always a tough sell, but these new costs add to the daily worry and headache of providing an exceptional product to our customers."

"As a small business owner, tariffs have squeezed already thin margins, leaving me no choice but to pass the added costs on to customers. Small businesses already face the stigma that their prices are too high, so passing along these new fees reflects poorly on my business even though none of that extra money stays here," said Marie Uridia, Red Hook Stationary Co. "Raising prices is a powerful tool we use sparingly and only when absolutely necessary, yet these tariff-driven increases are significant. On top of that, the policies seem to change constantly - one week tied to a material, the next to a country of origin. It requires a lot of resources to stay informed, and as a single-person operation, I don't have the bandwidth to keep pace with the ever-changing rules. Through it all, I remain committed to serving my community by offering goods at the most reasonable prices possible, but I worry about what the future holds for small businesses in America."

"In August, I spent more than I ever would on inventory in an effort to beat the tariff from India. My cash flow was affected and now I'm storing more than I typically would as well as having quantities that I'm less secure about selling, said Sarah Carlson, Owner of The Crows Nest. "Shipments from overseas are taking triple if not quadruple the amount of time to receive, in some cases, because of tariff delays. Looking forward, it's hard to pull the trigger on purchasing holiday items and the general boost to my inventory that would normally happen because I'm not sure the value will be there for my customer base given the increase in prices that will have to be considered."

"The Equis Art Gallery is a micro-business in the Village of Red Hook. I have been in business for over 11 years. About 1/3 of my artists are from outside of the US. It is one of the things the gallery has been known for," said Juliet Harrison, Owner of Equis Art Gallery. "With the inconsistent rules on the tariffs and the shipping bans from all of the countries my artists are in, it makes it impossible for me to bring their work here and to continue to operate my business successfully. I could easily lose 1/3 of my business, making it likely I won't be able to pay my monthly expenses."

Throughout the summer months Congressman Ryan held community meetings with Chambers of Commerce across Dutchess, Orange, and Ulster Counties. Ryan has also taken action in Washington to limit the harmful impacts of Trump's unprecedented tariffs, including joining an effort to terminate the national emergency that the president declared to institute the tariffs.

Additionally, Ryan voted against an effort by House GOP leadership and Speaker Mike Johnson to cede their ability to regulate and challenge tariffs to the President- kneecapping Congress's ability to stand up for their constituents being crushed by high prices.

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