Governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday demanded that the federal government immediately refund $13.5 billion in tariffs to New Yorkers following a landmark legal victory at the Supreme Court.
The Governor visited a small business in Manhattan to highlight the financial toll of trade policies that were recently found to be illegal. During the stop she met with Victor Schwartz who owns VOS Selections. Schwartz served as a lead plaintiff in the lawsuit that challenged the constitutionality of the tariffs.
In a formal letter sent to United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent the Governor called for the creation of a plan to return the funds. She argued that the money was taken from residents and businesses through taxes that the court has now struck down in a 6-3 decision.
“These senseless and illegal tariffs were just a tax on New York consumers and farmers” Hochul said during the visit. “I will never stop fighting for New Yorkers and that means staying focused on putting more money back in your pockets.”
According to research from the Yale Budget Lab the average household in the state faced about $1,751 in extra costs because of the tariffs. This created a total burden of approximately $13.5 billion across the state since the policies began last year.
The visit to the shop in Manhattan confirms that the Victor mentioned in official reports is the business owner and not the town of Victor. Schwartz has operated his import company for decades and said the trade duties caused the price of goods to rise and created uncertainty for his operations.
The agricultural sector has been another area of significant concern. The Governor noted that most farm machinery and chemicals come from countries that were hit by the tariffs. Hochul has proposed a $30 million plan to provide relief to farmers who struggled with the rising costs of equipment.
Bessent has indicated that the refund process will likely be handled by lower courts. This suggests that businesses and families may face a long legal process before they receive their payments.
