A small village in Maine is involuntary at the grace of Donald Trump’s ongoing trade war with Canada – and that is the parking space suffering.
The city of York initially ordered 17 Kiosks of Mackay Meters, a company in Quebec, but was forced to reduce the order to 13 due to the 25 percent tariff for Canadian imports threatened by the president. The result of the rates is a $ 20,000 increase in the cost of each kiosk.
Last week, a White House spokeswoman confirmed that the 25 percent tax on all steel and aluminum “for Canada and all our other trading partners” would be implemented without exception, although Trump had traced back on his vow that the levy would increase to 50 percent.
In Maine, the city already feels the pressure that economists have warned will come with Trump’s rates. Goods such as toys, wood, syrup, cars and home-building supplies are all at the mercy of price increases thanks to rates.
In York, it is their efforts to create revenue that has been hit for the first time.
Foster’s daily Democrat reported that assistant city manager Kathryn Lagasse had previously informed the town’s selection board that the estimated cost for the meter order would rise by $ 18,469 as the rates were implemented.
“I am aware that the tariff on general imports has been delayed for at least 30 days,” lagasse told the Selectboard on March 10 Daily democrat. “After talking to our representatives at Mackay, they are not confident that we do not face some kind of increase.”
According to a memo of city staff, seen by the outlet, the selection board has access to $ 88,000 to contingency funds and $ 200,000 to supplementary contingency funds. This led to the decrease in orders from 17 to 13.
It is now considering looking for extra funds to cover the possible costs added by the kiosk manufacturer – thanks to the tariff -driven price increases.
In previous years, city officials began to reduce the number of parking kiosks as part of a transition to app-based parking payments. The shift was also influenced by the maintenance costs and challenges of the kiosks.
Selectboard member Marla Johnson got to the Daily democrat That the kiosks still serve a purpose, especially for visitors outside the city. “I think the more options we give the visitors, the better,” Johnson said.
The independent issued York officials for further comments on the kiosk order.
Last week, following Trump’s universal steel and aluminum tariffs, Canada announced new retaliation levies on US goods worth $ 21 billion, following similar measures that have taken the European Union.
Canadian Finance Minister Dominic Leblanc said the rates – which came into effect earlier this month – would cover steel and aluminum, as well as other items, including computers, sports equipment and cast iron products. The latest duties imposed by Canada are on top of the 25 percent counter-rates already implemented by the province of Ottawa on March 4 at $ 30 billion.
The Canadian countermeasures remain in place, although on March 6, Trump issues temporary exemptions for some of his rates after the US stock market tumbled.
Nevertheless, on April 2, the president is expected to hit Canada with another round rates.
