Tariff-ic Books and Magazines

 

With one exception, to please his evangelical base (“America’s Christian publishers no longer have to render to Caesar an extra 10 percent.”) and Rupert Murdoch, all material printed in China then sent to the United States will be taxed tariffed.

The only print product completely removed from the list of proposed China tariffs was
section 4901.99.00.40: Bibles, testaments, prater(sic) books and other religious books.

So new editions of Andre Le Blanc’s The Picture Bible will not see an increase,
but neither will R. Crumb’s Genesis as it is printed in the USA.

 

As has been in the news – some tariffs affecting books have been delayed for a couple months until mid-December 2019. Those book are:
4903.00.00 Children’s picture, drawing or coloring books.

New editions of Sandra Boynton books won’t get a price hike right away,
while new editions of Charles Schulz books will see the earlier price increase.

*note: I have to keep saying new editions because the tariffs will only apply to products that leave the Chinese port on September 1, 2019 (or December 15, 2019). Any material that had already set sail by those dates (or are now in the U.S.) are unaffected by the new tariffs.

**another note: the Boynton book linked above says a product of Mexico, but my later edition of that book is “Manufactured in China”.

Also delayed being taxed until mid-December are lithographs, Christmas cards and certain calendars:

4909.00.40 Printed cards (except postcards) bearing personal greetings, messages or announcements, with or without envelopes or trimmings.

4910.00.20 Calendars printed on paper or paperboard in whole or in part by a lithographic process, not over 0.51mm in thickness.

 

All other printed material from China gets the 10% tariff starting September 1, 2019.

 

 

I certainly can’t make a full list, but I can grab a few items in reach as examples.

 

The Ultimate Cartoon Book of Book Cartoons – tariffed
Mort Gerberg On the Scene – not tariffed (printed in Korea)

 

The Nib – not tariffed (printed in the USA)
Alter Ego – tariffed

 

Funny Times – not tariffed***
Humor Times – not tariffed***

***I didn’t see any printing location in these, but with so much time-sensitive material I have to think they don’t come to the U.S. on a slow boat from China.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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