Evans, Great Lakes mayors denounce Trump tariffs

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Impending tariffs proposed by President Donald Trump will create hardships for lower-income Rochesterians while stagnating the Great Lakes economy, according to mayoral members of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative.

The president’s “reciprocal” tariffs are scheduled to take effect at 4 p.m. Wednesday, which he has termed “Liberation Day.”

While the White House has not revealed the scope of the new tariffs, mayors from on both sides of the border in the Great Lakes Region, including Rochester Mayor Malik Evans, expressed grave concerns on Wednesday morning.

“I often say that talk of a trade war between the U.S. and Canada reminds me of an African proverb that says ‘When the elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers,’ ” Evans said during a virtual news conference that included the mayors of Chicago, Milwaukee, Toronto and several other cities.

The mayors have pledged to work together to fight the tariffs, which they say will harm those that can least afford price increases.

“As the mayor of Rochester, I will tell you my greatest concern is for my constituents that live below or near the poverty line, especially their children,” Evans said. “These people are already making impossible decisions with their incomes and expenses: Rent or medicine, rent or healthy foods, rent or school clothes for their children.

“You can just image how a $1,300 cost-of-living increase that these tariffs are expected to generate will impact these already-heartbreaking calculations. And trust me, the people imposing these tariffs, the people in that proverb, aren’t making decisions like that.”

Everyday consumers aren’t the only ones that will suffer, Evans said.

“The economic disruption of these tariffs can set back the entire economy of Rochester and New York State,” he said. “We don’t need tariffs that raise the costs for low- and middle-income consumers and destabilize the economy for our employers. We need thoughtful and sustainable trade policies that protect the most vulnerable residents and support job creators.”

Pres. Trump has already implemented tariffs on steel, aluminum and other items. The new proposed tariffs have city leaders bracing for an economic downturn.

“We’re going to see layoffs if businesses continue to hold onto capital and chose not to spend because of the uncertainty that is coming,” said Mat Siscoe, mayor of St. Catharines, Ontario.

Said Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow: “The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Region is one of the world’s largest integrated economies, and my city is a strong part of that supply chain that delivers good jobs on both sides of the border. We need to continue our strong relationship and all speak as one voice.

“In the past we have tackled difficult challenges, and if we continue to work together, we will emerge from this senseless trade war stronger.”

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