Joe Courtney Homes Inc
TARIFF TOUR: COURTNEY VISITS TWO QUIET CORNER SMALL BUSINESSES TO DISCUSS RISING COSTS UNDER TRUMP TARIFFS
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NORWICH, CT – Yesterday, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) visited two small businesses in northeastern Connecticut, Two Dogs Coffee in Danielson and Sadie’s Sweet Shop in Putnam, to discuss the increased costs they are facing and how they have been worsened by President Trump’s tariff policies. Courtney was accompanied by Elle-Jordyn Sherman, Executive Director of the Northeastern CT Chamber of Commerce, and Ms. Jennifer Reynolds, a Chamber Board Member and VP of Reynolds Electric, a family-owned small business who have also taken the brunt of tariffs in home remodeling and electrical repairs.
“2025 and early 2026 has been a brutal time for small businesses who have had to absorb the price shock caused by the President’s tariffs,” Courtney said following the visits. “For all three businesses, they had little choice but to incorporate goods and materials only produced overseas, such as coffee, cocoa, and specialty fixtures and equipment. Passing along tariff costs is very hard in a region of mostly working families, with limited disposable income.”
“Following the welcome Supreme Court 6-3 decision striking down Trump tariffs as illegal, Congress needs to step up and reclaim its constitutional authority over tariff policy and stop the random, unilateral tariffs imposed without regard to the impact on end users,” Courtney continued. “It is only fair that Congress and the Courts mandate refunds to the businesses that were forced to pay them. The tenacity and determination of these passionate entrepreneurs should be protected by leaders in Washington from irrational, indiscriminate taxes imposed by an overreaching executive branch of government.”
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Under Trump tariffs, Two Dogs Coffee in Danielson has seen coffee prices increase by 10-15%. The price of coffee equipment has also increased. Following Two Dogs purchase of a new coffee grinder for $2,600, the price of the same grinder later increased to $4,200. Left to right: Gwilym Clark (Owner of Two Dogs Coffee), Brittany Clark (Owner of Two Dogs Coffee), Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02), Jennifer Reynolds (Northeastern CT Chamber of Commerce Board Member and VP Internal Operations for A. Reynolds Electric LLC), and Elle-Jordyn Sherman (Executive Director, Northeastern CT Chamber of Commerce)
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Under Trump tariffs, Sadie’s Sweet Shop in Putnam has seen the price of their Swiss chocolate increase by 44%, their Swedish candy increase by 24%, and the average cost of all other products and business items by 12%. Left to right: Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02), Shawn Johnston (Legislative Committee, the Northeastern CT Chamber of Commerce), Jennafer Peraz (Owner of Sadie’s Sweet Shop), and Elle-Jordyn Sherman (Executive Director, Northeastern CT Chamber of Commerce)
Both coffee and cocoa are produced in only very small amounts in certain regions of the United States – nowhere near enough to meet U.S. market demand. After imposing tariffs on countries that produce coffee and cocoa in 2025, President Trump reversed course and carved out those products from tariffs in November 2025, but price increases on both coffee and chocolate have remained.
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Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in a 6-3 ruling. Courtney joined an amicus brief in support of this court case against the tariffs and is supporting a lawsuit by the State of Connecticut against the President’s new round tariffs put in place in response to the Supreme Court ruling.
Courtney is a co-sponsor of the RELIEF Act, which would require refunds within 90 days of enactment to businesses who paid the President’s IEEPA tariffs since January 1, 2025 and eliminate the need for individual refund applications or formal protests.
The Court of International Trade, which handles disputes over tariffs, ordered the U.S. government to repay IEEPA tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is developing such a repayment mechanism, with the judge expecting refunds to move within 45 days.
Courtney also supports the bipartisan Trade Review Act to reclaim Congress’ authority over tariff policy, which is vested in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. In February, a bipartisan majority in the House successfully passed a bill to end President Trump’s tariffs on Canada.
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