Locals brace for impacts of tariffs

Tariffs are raising concerns in our community as new 25% tariffs on nearly all products from Canada and Mexico have taken effect, along with a 20% increase on imports from China.

Each affected country has vowed to respond with tariffs on items sent to the United States, creating a ripple effect across various sectors.

Kyle Lee, owner of Lee Auto Group, highlighted the potential impact on the automotive industry.

“The manufacturer, the dealer—they’re not going to eat that cost. They’re going to pass that cost along to the consumer,” said Lee. “They’re going to go up 25% at least.”

He pointed out specific models that are likely to see price increases.

“The Chrysler 300, they make Dodge, imports their cars from Canada. Lexus—the NX and the RX models are imported from Canada,” Lee said. “All the German car manufacturers bring their cars in from Mexico. So Audi, BMW, Volkswagen. Also Chevy and Ford and Nissan.”

While some shoppers support the tariffs, others expressed concern over their impact on various goods, from lumber to groceries.

“I don’t think that we’re doing anything bad for our country when other countries do it for theirs,” said John Freeman, a Lee County resident.

Christopher Pandell, a Canadian with a home in Southwest Florida, shared his worries about the broader implications.

“We’re Canadian. We have a home here. We’ve had a home here for 21 years. The tariffs are hurting us, both on the stock market and the Canada-U.S. relations,” said Pandell.

Pandell continued, “We’ve been best friends for many, many, many years, hundreds of years, I think, and now this is sort of putting a dent in that relationship.”

The tariffs could affect a range of products, including avocados, maple syrup and smartphones.

According to the USDA, nearly 90% of avocados are imported from Mexico. A majority of maple syrup comes from Canada, and nearly all smartphones come from China.

The economic impact of these tariffs remains to be seen, but they could potentially dent both international relationships and personal bank accounts.