SPRINGFIELD —Today, Governor JB Pritzker and Illinois Retail Merchant Association (IRMA) President and CEO Rob Karr visited Whimsy Tea Company to discuss the impact of Trump’s Tax on Working Families. The family-run small business in downtown Springfield imports 900 products from 149 countries, many of which will be heavily impacted by the Trump administration’s new tariffs.
“Illinois is home to thousands of small businesses with unique products and community roots,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “With Trump’s Tax on Working Families in effect, those businesses will feel the impact, especially those like Whimsy Tea Company that import from countries all across the world. The State is committed to working closely with our small business community and doing what is in our power to reduce the negative economic impact.”
“Tariffs impact retailers large and small. IRMA-member Whimsy Tea is a perfect example, sourcing ingredients for their custom tea blends from a wide variety of suppliers across the globe,” said Rob Karr, President & CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association. “Because their business is nearly fully dependent on imports, indiscriminate tariffs threaten the very existence of creative and tireless entrepreneurs like the Davis family, who have dedicated themselves to lovingly serving customers and the community.”
“With the global sourcing of ingredients for teas and food, we are definitely concerned about the new tariffs being applied. That said, we and our suppliers are committed to doing all that we can to keep our products affordable and of the highest quality possible,” said Gordon Davis, Co-Owner of Whimsy Tea Company.
Trade is an anchor of the Illinois economy, and Illinois is the single largest exporting state in the Midwest and fourth largest exporter in the United States. President Trump’s tax on working families threatens the livelihood of businesses small and large and has the potential to raise prices on consumers – which will disproportionately impact low-income and working families.
In addition to today’s visits, Governor Pritzker has also spoken about the negative impacts of Trump’s Tax on Working Families with:
- Ambassador Kirsten Hillman, Ambassador of Canada to the United States
- Ambassador Reyna Torres Mendivil, Consul General, Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago
- Jack Lavin, President and CEO, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
- Mark Denzler, President and CEO, Illinois Manufacturers’ Association
- Owners of Darvin Furniture in Orland Park, Illinois
- Owners of Funkytown Brewery in Chicago, Illinois
Earlier today, Governor Pritzker joined British officials to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between Illinois and the United Kingdom, building on a decades-long trade relationship. The MOU highlighted the shared values between the two entities like diversity and equity, and additionally focused on the ongoing commitment to strengthening the energy, technology, and manufacturing sectors with innovation and trade.
Last week, Governor Pritzker completed a trade mission to Mexico City, where a delegation of government, business, and agricultural leaders from Illinois met with Mexico leaders across similar sectors. Highlights of the trade mission include an MOU signing between Mexico and Illinois, Site Selector meetings where Governor Pritzker pitched Illinois to businesses looking to open new U.S. locations, and an agriculture roundtable to engage local and Illinois leaders on the impacts of tariffs on the industry.
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