06/07/2019
Make some noise towards your elected officials and get this off the books!
Let's be very clear! Indiscriminately imposing TARIFFS is a TAX! China does not pay the tariff – WE ALL DO! As US manufacturing professional fireworks virtually evaporated in the 80's due to heightened regulations, increased liability and worker compensation insurance...the industry went to China who manufactures three quarters of the global fireworks market. Today, many US fireworks companies have no alternative than to go to China for their supply. Our government made it very clear over the last 30 to 40 years...no undesirable manufacturing. Although there are much needed changes to be made between China and US trade...painting every commodity with the same brush does not and will not work. There is no other alternative. If the next round of tariff increases includes industries like fireworks that have no global alternative, then we are forced to significantly increase prices - unnecessarily. For many small family businesses, this will be a great and serious challenge to our American resolve for fairness. Our customers that depend on 4th of July and homecoming celebrations will not blame China or even our government…they will blame our small businesses that have no other alternatives or control. You can help…by contacting your US Rep in Congress and let them know that this will impose unjust harm to any industry that has no other supply alternative. Contact your representative and have them support the American Pyrotechnics Association members request to EXCLUDE fireworks 1.4G HTS Code: 3604.10.90 and 1.3G HTS Code: 3604.10.10 as part of Docket No. USTR-2019-0004 concerning Proposed Modification of Action Pursuant to Section 301: China’s Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, and Innovation.
1. For the Individual Consumers – A 25% increase in the cost of consumer fireworks simply means that the customer will face a tariff surcharge or tax and get less product for their budget. For many, it will mean disappointment with how much less they will receive.
2. For Small Municipal Independence Day Firework Celebrations – it will mean many small towns who already struggle to raise the funds to have long standing traditions of celebrating our countries Declaration of Independence on the 4th of July, simply will FIZZLE OUT!
3. For Charities – this increase in tariff will force many small fireworks companies who routinely support their communities that have always provided fireworks at a greatly reduced cost; or even free may no longer be able. For many of these charities that rely on fireworks at a reduced cost to increase the value of their fundraising events, will be most harmed.
Our industry supports the Administration’s efforts to negotiate meaningful and long-term solutions with the Chinese government; however, the broad scope of the proposed tariffs is unduly harmful to small family businesses, like ours. Fireworks are not high-tech products covered by Chinese industrial policy. China is the primary global supplier of fireworks and currently, there are no other countries that can manufacture these types of fireworks at the quantity, quality and scale of China.
