Governor Kathy Hochul visited a Central New York business Friday to highlight her call for federal tariff refunds she says are owed to New Yorkers.
Hochul said she is demanding the Trump administration return $13.5 billion in tariff payments collected from New York residents and businesses.
The governor made the announcement while visiting Meier’s Creek Brewing Co. in the Village of Cazenovia, where she spoke with business leaders about how tariffs have affected costs.
Hochul said tariffs have created uncertainty for businesses deciding whether to expand or hire more workers.
“My concern for businesses while traveling around the state is that when you are doing your planning and your decisions on how to expand and whether you’re going to add more staff, one uncertainty now, in the last year, has been tariffs,” Hochul said.
She argued the tariffs have forced companies to raise prices or absorb additional costs.
“You’re paying more. You’re having to pass more on your customers,” Hochul said. “These Trump tariff taxes have been nothing but an illegal scheme, and the money is owed to New Yorkers, families and businesses and we want that money returned.”
During the visit, Dave Pollock, chief revenue officer for Feldmeier Equipment — which operates Meier’s Creek Brewing Co. — said tariffs have increased costs for raw materials and manufacturing equipment used by the company.
Pollock said about 10% of the company’s raw materials come from overseas and are subject to tariffs, while much of the equipment it purchases is also imported.
The company has spent about $32 million on plant upgrades and equipment in the past 18 months, with roughly half of that going toward machinery affected by tariffs, he said.
Hochul said families in New York have paid an estimated average of $1,751 more due to tariffs, citing higher costs for everyday goods.
She said the state is seeking refunds from the federal government for tariff payments already collected.
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