LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Navigating the back-and-forth over President Donald Trump's tariffs is a growing challenge for many local small businesses.
As I continued to track those changes on Friday, I spoke to some North Las Vegas brewery owners trying to make sense of it all.
Matt and Amanda Payan, owners of North 5th Brewing, tell me their biggest fear continues to be higher import costs, which means tighter margins and fewer options. As a result, they say they're prepared to raise prices, cut costs or find new suppliers.
"It can actually do a lot of impact to our business for our day-to-day," Matt told me.
"People are starting to have to budget, right? And so you can start seeing people being like, 'Well, do I really need to go out and get that beer?'" Amanda added.
WATCH | Here's what I learned today as I continued to follow the potential impacts of the ongoing tariff tug-of-war:
I also caught up with Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV04), who tells me he takes issue with how this process has gone down, including when he went before Congress to question Trump's trade representative on Thursday. He reiterated some of those concerns to me.
"From the Executive Branch to Congress, tariffs were never meant to be something that the president could enact willy-nilly," Horsford told me. "This is something that Congress should be consulted with. Again, it can be used as a tool, but it should not be used to create uncertainty."
I also reached out to Nevada's only Republican Congressional representative, Mark Amodei, to get his stance as things continue to unfold. As of Friday evening, I have not received a response. But in this communication to Nevadans last week, Amodei wrote:
There is a fundamental flaw in our trading system. Our economic stability shouldn’t depend on such a fragile market. Once we move past hatred for this administration, most people agree that it’s dangerous for our adversaries, especially China, to control key resources like pharmaceuticals, agriculture products, rare earth materials, or even the manufacturing of our defense stockpile. I think most people also agree it is in our best interest to bring back jobs in manufacturing to the United States. While Wall Street wigging out is not unexpected, the whole story is not going to be told over 48 hours or a week.
We’ll be closely monitoring key indicators of economic stability, such as job reports, inflation, and consumer spending, but nobody said this was going to be instant gratification, and as the President said, “We’re dealing with a very sick patient.” Under Biden, we saw the largest trade deficit in U.S. history, and the status quo is simply not sustainable. We need significant changes to steer our country toward self-reliance.
There's a lot of news surrounding tariffs, so stay tuned next week for a special update on that.
For our community businesses who are watching these developments closely, the Las Vegas Chamber tells me it is actively advocating for you by hosting events and offering expert guidance.
Here are some resources you can consider:
1. Vegas Chamber – Government Affairs Department
The Chamber’s Government Affairs team closely monitors policy changes, including tariffs, and advocates on behalf of local businesses. They can provide updates, resources, and direct connections to experts.
Contact:
- 📧 Email: governmentaffairs@vegaschamber.com
- 📞 Phone: (702) 641-5822
- 🌐 Website: www.vegaschamber.com
2. Business Information Network (BIN)
BIN is a Chamber initiative designed to help businesses stay informed about legislative and regulatory issues that impact them, including international trade and tariffs.
3. Events & Webinars
The Vegas Chamber often hosts:
- Policy briefings
- Trade-focused panels
- Small business forums
The chamber says these are great opportunities to hear from economists, trade attorneys, and policymakers. Keep an eye on the Vegas Chamber’s events calendar for sessions specifically about tariffs and trade issues.
4. One-on-One Consultations
Members can request meetings or personalized guidance through the Chamber’s business services team to understand specific impacts and explore possible strategies.
