Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
Healey demands $1,745 tariff refunds for each Mass. household
All told, Gov. Maura Healey says that the government owes Massachusetts residents more than $4.8 billion.
Gov. Maura Healey is demanding that the federal government refund Massachusetts residents almost $4.9 billion, or $1,745 per household, because of the Supreme Court’s decision last month to strike down many of President Donald Trump’s broad tariffs.
American consumers paid about $231 billion in tariff costs between February 2025 and January 2026, according to data compiled by the US Congress Joint Economic Committee that Healey cited. This amounts to about $1,745 per family.
Healey said that the federal government unlawfully seized billions from people across America. Life in Massachusetts, already one of the most expensive states to live in, became even more pricey.
Advertisement:
“These Tariffs wreaked havoc on our economy and increased costs for hardworking families and small businesses across Massachusetts,” Healey wrote in a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Tuesday. “From groceries and household goods to construction materials and consumer products, Massachusetts residents paid more at the register and businesses absorbed higher operating costs.”
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that tariffs imposed by Trump under an emergency powers law were unconstitutional, outraging a president who made tariffs a core part of his platform. Trump responded by announcing new 15% tariffs on most products worldwide under a different law, saying they were needed to address trade deficits.
Advertisement:
A coalition of 24 states, including Massachusetts, sued the administration last week in an attempt to halt the new tariffs. Healey urged the administration to “rethink and rescind” the new tariffs.
“It makes no sense to stubbornly continue this failed and unlawful policy that increases costs on everyone,” the governor wrote.
The Supreme Court did not specify a process for how the government could make tariff refunds. More than $175 billion in collections could be subject to refunds, and more than 1,000 companies have sued in order to recoup their costs. A federal judge ruled last week that the companies that paid the invalidated tariffs are owed refunds, but the process stands to be lengthy and complicated.
Refunds would be paid back to importers, not directly to consumers. Some of the companies suing, like Costco, say that they are planning to pass the savings onto consumers through lower prices in the event that they are refunded.
Healey said that the federal government must “immediately take steps to pay full restitution,” citing the recent ruling that companies are owed refunds. She said that consumers need relief as well as companies.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com