According to a CNBC study, Arizona ranks among the top five state economies. Our 678,000 small businesses are a big reason why this achievement is possible. But this year is different – new tariffs have us all wondering whether our economic growth will stall.

Consider that nearly nine in 10 businesses that import products by sea have fewer than 50 employees. Translation? Tariffs disproportionately hurt small businesses, the backbone of the economy. They are essentially a tax we pay upfront — forcing us to either absorb the hit ourselves or raise prices on consumers. That’s a hard choice given the need to maintain customer loyalty and compete with other businesses.

For a small business like mine, even modest unexpected costs could also mean letting employees go or cutting back hours. I ow

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