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September 15, 2005
Coming to Their Senses on Cement Tariffs?
The L.A. Times reports that the U.S. and Mexico have met to see it their trade dispute can be resolved such that the U.S. can end its tariffs on Mexican cement. We complained bitterly about such tariffs in a recent post, and how such a misguided policy is wholly inappropriate in light of the massive rebuilding effort which will be required in the Gulf Coast region.
The Times goes on to recount, in the same article, on the shortages of cement which already plague the U.S.:
A recent survey by the Associated General Contractors of America showed that 32 states, including California, had been hit by shortages. In August, cement prices were up 12.7% compared with the same month a year ago, according to the Department of Labor's producer price index. That's more than double the increase for the overall basket of so-called "intermediate goods," which includes products such as lumber and paint.
Those increases have added as much as $1,000 to the price of new homes in some regions, according to Michael Carliner, an economist for the National Assn. of Home Builders in Washington.
With their construction industries threatened, some elected officials are pressuring the Bush administration to ease trade restrictions on Mexican imports. Last month, Republican Govs. Jon Huntsman Jr. of Utah, Michael Rounds of South Dakota and Kenny Guinn of Nevada, along with Bill Richardson, the Democratic governor of New Mexico, sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez, urging him to resolve the long-running spat.
Note that this issue is bipartisan. Now let’s see if the Commerce Department will actually come to its senses.
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