MADISON- The Wisconsin Grocers Association (WGA) released a press release criticizing the Tariff Tax Transparency Act that was circulated last week for co-sponsorship. According to the WGA, the act, which requires large retailers to disclose federal tariffs assessed on any products, was not workable and would raise costs for Wisconsin grocers and consumers.
The bill’s author, Representative Andrew Hysell (D-48), responded:
“It was surprising to see a public statement from WGA against the Tariff Tax Transparency Act on the basis, in part, that the requirement of disclosing tariffs to consumers would be prohibitively expensive for those same consumers. Would not that same concern carry over to the job-killing federal tariff taxes pummeling Wisconsin consumers? Despite the best efforts of my office, we could not locate any statement made by the WGA voicing opposition to these record tax increases.
“Today, Americans face an average effective tariff rate of 18.6%, the highest since 1933. Goldman Sachs predicts that 70% of tariffs will be borne by American households, a projected average cost of $2,400 in 2025 alone. These hidden taxes, dubbed “sneakflation” and can be seen as grocery prices skyrocket.
“It seems like common sense that Wisconsin taxpayers should know what taxes they pay. Income taxes are listed on paystubs, sales tax is disclosed at the cash register, and property tax bills are mailed annually. Yet, a torrent of tariffs emanating from Washington, D.C. are being effectively hidden from Wisconsin consumers. A hidden tax is still a tax.
“I welcome the opportunity to sit down with the WGA to learn more about their concerns and consider any suggestions they might have to improve the Tariff Tax Transparency Act. But, in return, I call on the WGA to take a strong public stand and advocate against these unprecedented federal tariff taxes that are being borne by their customers across Wisconsin.”
