Dear Newspaper Executive,
This letter is a personal one. Although I am fortunate as chair of the 139-year-old National Newspaper Association to see trends across our industry, this is about something I have undertaken as a publisher and small business owner. I need your help.
If you have noticed your printing costs are rising, it might be because the United States is now collecting an extra tax — a tariff — on Aluminum Lithographic Printing Plates when they cross our borders. These plates are necessary for printing the pages of our newspapers. The more pages you print, the more plates you use. Over a year, the extra cost for most weeklies like mine will be in the mid 5-figure range. It can be enough to cost us a reporter or editor position.
We enjoy a wide range of viewpoints in our industry about American tariffs and trade. But we can agree on one thing: any tax that costs us jobs right now is a bad thing. We are in the middle of an election year, in an uncertain world. Our communities need us. But if we are weakened, so is our mission.
I plan to send a letter to the International Trade Commission expressing concern about the tariff. Even though my newspaper does not use imported plates, the tariff has pushed up my costs as well. Most likely, it has done the same to you.
The ITC, I believe, cares about the newspapers in America. I think the Commissioners will want to know how we are being affected.
If you represent a small business, would you please take a minute to read my letter? (https://nna.formstack.com/
If you agree this tariff is a problem, I hope you will sign onto my letter. I will deliver it to the ITC in early September.
I need your response by August 20, please. If you have questions, you can email me at jmgaler@yahoo.com.
And if you want to contact Congress as well, please contact NNA’s Lynne Lance, lynne@nna.org.
Thank you for all you do for our industry and American democracy.
--National Newspaper Association Chair John Galer, publisher, The Journal-News, Hillsboro, Illinois