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Gov. Maura Healey renews call for federal refunds for Massachusetts residents over Trump's 'illegal tariffs'

Tim Dunn, Boston Herald on

Published in News & Features

BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey continues to push for $1,745 in refunds from the Trump administration for every Massachusetts household while urging businesses to apply for their own federal refunds through a new online portal over what she calls Trump’s “illegal tariffs.”

It’s the latest in a series of attempts by Healey to pass the political burden of affordability issues in Massachusetts on to the White House. Affordability, particularly with respect to soaring energy costs in the Bay State, has been a top challenge for Healey as she seeks reelection.

“President Trump’s illegal tariffs have increased costs for every Massachusetts business and resident. It’s important that refunds are now available, and I encourage eligible businesses to apply. But this isn’t enough,” Healey said.

“The people of Massachusetts have faced more expensive groceries, household goods, construction materials and more because of these tariffs. The Trump Administration must also issue refunds to American households – and the president needs to actually focus on making life more affordable and abandon his costly tariff plans for good,” she said.

The Supreme Court struck down the tariffs in February, ruling that Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose the “reciprocal” tariffs and set import duties was illegal, holding that Congress alone has the taxing power.

Businesses can now submit claims through an online federal portal, which launched on Monday, to recover costs paid under the policy. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been tasked with administering the system. The process may eventually lead to refunds for U.S. consumers who were billed for some or all of the tariffs for products shipped to them from outside of the country.

While businesses have the green light from the federal government to apply for and receive tariff duty refunds, Healey is pushing for the Trump administration to refund every Massachusetts household a total of $1,745, to the tune of $4.8 billion, for extra costs faced during the tariffs.

Healey originally made the request in a letter last month to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

“On behalf of the people of Massachusetts, I demand a refund of $1,745 to every Massachusetts household for the financial harm caused by President Trump’s unconstitutional taxes,” Healey wrote in the March 10 letter. “I call on the Trump Administration to immediately formulate a plan to refund tariff proceeds and put money back in the pockets of the hardworking people of Massachusetts.”

In her missive to Bessent, Healey pointed to data from the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee – Minority, which estimated the average American family has paid more than $1,700 in tariff costs over the past year, with American consumers paying over $231 billion in tariff costs between February 2025 and January 2026.

Healey has not made the same push to lower costs when it comes to changing the state’s climate policies or lowering income taxes in Massachusetts.

 

Just last week, Healey publicly stated that she does not support lowering the state income tax from 5% to 4% – remaining in lockstep with House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka that it would be a detriment to the Massachusetts economy.

“I’ve spoken about the questions that are proposed on the ballot. They’re really bad for Massachusetts. I mean, they undercut important investments in things like education and things like economic development that actually help grow businesses and grow an economy and increase tax revenues. So, you know, that’s my position. I continue to be strongly opposed to those measures,” Healey said following a press conference at the State House.

This as Massachusetts residents have been burdened by a high cost of living well before Trump implemented his international tariffs. Massachusetts has the highest electricity rates in the country along with high business and residential taxes driven by the costly NetZero emissions by 2050 statewide climate mandate.

For months now, Healey has been using Trump’s international tariffs to deflect blame from the energy and affordability issues plaguing Massachusetts, ramping up the criticism since launching her reelection campaign in January.

At an economic event in Boston in November, Healey blamed Trump’s tariffs on Canadian products for increases in housing and energy costs in the Bay State. Later that day, the Herald asked Healey if she thought her stoppage of two natural gas pipelines to Massachusetts back when she was attorney general was a contributing factor.

“Well, first of all, I didn’t do that,” Healey responded, before going on to criticize Trump’s tariffs. “His tariffs on aluminum and steel increase our energy costs because aluminum, steel, these are products that go into building an energy infrastructure to support the kind of work we need to do to lower energy costs here and across this country. So, President Trump needs to stop playing around with things because at the end of the day people are hurting.”

During her 2022 gubernatorial campaign, Healey bragged about blocking the two pipelines – something energy policy experts say would have saved Massachusetts ratepayers money if not stopped by then-AG Healey.

“Remember, I stopped two gas pipelines from coming into this state,” the then-attorney general said in 2022 on WBUR, before going on to say she opposes building new gas infrastructure in Massachusetts.

Although the Supreme Court did not address refunds in its ruling, a judge at the U.S. Court of International Trade determined last month that companies subjected to IEEPA tariffs ruled illegal by the justices were entitled to money back.

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