When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the administration’s tariffs were unlawful, it resolved a constitutional question. What it did not resolve is how to unwind the economic damage.
Gov. JB Pritzker has called for roughly $1,700 per Illinois household — about $8.7 billion total — arguing that families effectively paid an illegal tax through higher prices and deserve direct reimbursement.
It may be appealing math. But it is not how tariffs work — and it is not how refunds should work.
Tariffs are not directly paid by households. They are not collected at checkout counters. They are assessed at the border and paid up-front by the importer of record — often small businesses, manufacturers, retailers or logistics providers clearing goods through companies such as UPS, DHL or FedEx.
Continue reading this commentary on the Chicago Tribune website here (access limited to subscribers only).
Home > Sara Albrecht: Refund the Tariffs the Right Way — Not With Political Math
Sara Albrecht: Refund the Tariffs the Right Way — Not With Political Math
By Sara Albrecht | March 9, 2026
(Chicago Tribune: Commentary)
When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the administration’s tariffs were unlawful, it resolved a constitutional question. What it did not resolve is how to unwind the economic damage.
Gov. JB Pritzker has called for roughly $1,700 per Illinois household — about $8.7 billion total — arguing that families effectively paid an illegal tax through higher prices and deserve direct reimbursement.
It may be appealing math. But it is not how tariffs work — and it is not how refunds should work.
Tariffs are not directly paid by households. They are not collected at checkout counters. They are assessed at the border and paid up-front by the importer of record — often small businesses, manufacturers, retailers or logistics providers clearing goods through companies such as UPS, DHL or FedEx.
Continue reading this commentary on the Chicago Tribune website here (access limited to subscribers only).