President Trump’s sweeping new tariffs are now active, bringing the average U.S. import tax to approximately 18.6% , the highest level since 1933.

Local Impact: Chattanooga at a Disadvantage

UTC economist Howard Wall, director of the Center for Regional Economic Research, cautioned:

“They make us poorer as consumers because we pay more for things. And for producers, they’re not good.”

Wall went on to say, “If we do produce things that we didn’t, that we used to import, there are things that we’re not as good at making, so wages are going to be lower. Tariffs are just ... economists are pretty uniform in saying they’re not a good idea.”

He added that while service-oriented businesses may see some benefit, manufacturing-centric cities like Chattanooga —which relies he

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