It turns out President Donald Trump doesn’t have the market cornered on protective trade policies.

Back in 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the New York State Buy American Salt Act, a bill sponsored by Sen. John Mannion in the state Senate and Assemblyman Harry Bronson in the state Assembly. It wasn’t terribly controversial at the time – even Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay, voted in favor of the bill in the Senate, though Assemblyman Andy Goodell, R-Jamestown, voted against the bill in the Assembly in a 136-14 vote.

“With the Buy American Salt Act, we are helping State and local governments purchase salt that comes from mines based in the United States – some right here in New York,” Hochul said. “This is an important step to support good-paying jobs in our upstate communities while growing New York’s economy.”

Oops.

The winter of 2023 was a pretty mild one, so artificially constraining the salt supply didn’t affect anyone much. This winter is a different story. American Rock Salt, the largest of three salt mines in New York and the main provider of road salt to most local governments around the state, found itself unable to keep up with demand created by freezing temperatures, persistent snow and, it turns out, too many customers. American Rock Salt has increased its productivity by 25% this winter and has had staff working all available hours – including holidays – but just can’t keep up with demand. It’s not the company’s fault – there weren’t other providers to help out when we received Mother Nature’s reminder of what winters were like ages ago.

It turns out that in its zeal to eliminate foreign competition, largely from Egypt, state government eliminated the ability to order rock salt from Canada. So, when you wonder why your local government isn’t salting the roads as heavily as this winter comes to an end, we now have an answer – the party is so opposed to Trump’s trade policies implemented a protectionist trade policy in New York state, and our roads are more slippery as a result.

Assemblyman Patrick Chludzinski, R-Cheektowaga, has introduced A.5890 to amend state law to allow for the purchase of rock salt or sodium chloride that is mined or harvested in Canada. It should be given serious consideration, but that will mean Democrats in the Assembly and Senate – as well as Gov. Kathy Hochul – to admit they made a mistake.