‘A Game That Is Risking People’s Lives’: Massachusetts Treasurer Goes Scorched Earth on Trump’s Tariffs

Massachusetts Treasurer Deb Goldberg speaks at a state Democratic Party unity event Sept. 5, 2018, in Boston. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)

Massachusetts Treasurer Deb Goldberg warned that ongoing tariff uncertainty is putting alcohol industry jobs and state tax revenue at risk as distributors, suppliers and manufacturers struggle to absorb rapidly changing costs, WWLP Springfield reported.

“I feel that this whole tariff thing is a game. And it’s a game that is risking people’s lives in the sense — it’s risking their livelihoods,” Goldberg said Wednesday during a press call hosted by For the Long Term, a nonprofit focused on state and municipal financial leaders.

The comments came as alcohol industry executives described the effects of tariffs on businesses across the supply chain, from importers and distributors to restaurants, retailers and consumers.

The U.S.-Canada trade dispute has added another layer of uncertainty for the industry. The Trump administration imposed a 50% tariff on certain Canadian products in August after a three-day suspension, while a separate Sept. 8 proclamation ordered certain Canadian alcoholic beverages excluded from U.S. imports beginning Sept. 29.

Chris Conrad, president of New England alcohol distributor Martignetti Companies, said tariffs have reduced earnings while pushing financial pressure onto suppliers, restaurants, retailers and consumers.

Conrad said Massachusetts’ Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission, which operates under Goldberg’s oversight as state treasurer, has provided flexibility as tariff changes have made pricing difficult to predict.

“That allows us to make changes as we need on the fly, literally with no day’s notice,” Conrad said, according to WWLP Springfield. “And we’re grateful for their partnership in that regard.”

Under normal Massachusetts rules, out-of-state alcohol suppliers must submit prices to the commission by the first day of the prior month for those prices to take effect the following month. Goldberg said the ABCC has allowed suppliers to request immediate price changes because of the difficulty of operating under the standard schedule.

“We are doing everything we can do to support our businesses,” Goldberg said.

The pricing flexibility comes as tariff-related costs continue to affect multiple parts of the beverage alcohol industry. Scott Allen, vice president of wine and spirits importer and distributor M.S. Walker, said his company has decided to stop manufacturing certain products because consumers “just will not tolerate these price increases.”

Allen credited Goldberg with listening to industry concerns and acting on requests involving the state’s regulatory system.

The effects also extend beyond imported spirits. The 50% U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum have increased costs for craft brewers, who rely heavily on aluminum cans and steel products such as kegs and brewing equipment. The Brewers Association has estimated that aluminum cans accounted for 75% of packaged craft beer volume and revenue based on early 2025 sales data.

Goldberg said the broader concern is what sustained disruption could mean for Massachusetts’ tax base.

“Quite often these retailers are a core part of local revenue sources, and the alcoholic beverages industry also pays an enormous amount of taxes and employs a lot of people,” Goldberg said. “So overall, as state treasurer, I am also very worried about general revenues coming into the state and us being able to sustain the job that government has to do.”

The Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission oversees alcohol licensing and regulation in the state. Goldberg’s office says the commission is working with industry stakeholders as tariff changes create additional challenges for businesses.

The warning comes as the administration’s Canadian alcohol measures approach another major deadline. Under the Sept. 8 proclamation, certain Canadian alcoholic beverages will be excluded from U.S. imports beginning Sept. 29, while covered products imported before that date but not yet entered for consumption remain subject to the 50% duty.