Sen. Mark Kelly Hears From Yepez Automotive Owner About Tariffs, Costs

Sen. Mark Kelly spent part of Friday at Yepez Automotive in Somerton, touring the shop and hearing owner Jose Yepez describe how new tariffs and higher parts prices are squeezing the family business. The visit on Feb. 27, 2026, was part of a day Kelly spent meeting with Yuma County stakeholders and included a shop walk-through and face‑to‑face discussion with the owner.

Jose Yepez told the senator that "the price of automotive parts has increased by about 15%," and that "those added costs are passed directly on to customers." Yepez said that "when repair prices go up, some customers delay fixing their vehicles," a dynamic he linked to tighter household budgets in Somerton and across Yuma County.

Kelly framed the problem in trade terms, saying businesses "must pay the tariff at the border, which raises their costs." The senator argued that those higher supplier costs can translate into local price increases, adding that "higher costs for small businesses can also mean higher prices for families." Kelly listened to specific operational concerns about parts and pricing during his stop at the shop.

The Somerton visit followed President Donald Trump’s announcement that his administration would move forward with new tariffs on imported goods. Sen. Kelly’s office described the effect bluntly: "Tariffs on imported goods are driving up the cost of auto parts, forcing repair shops to make tough choices." That office release also positioned the Somerton stop within a broader Yuma itinerary that included visits to produce fields during harvest, a meeting with leadership at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, and sessions with local agriculture leaders to discuss water and labor.

Public materials refer to the business with two names: "Yepez Automotive and Sales" and "Yepez Automotive Repair." Sen. Kelly’s office described the location as "a family‑owned business that has served Yuma for fifty years," while the owner himself focused on current cost pressures and customer behavior at the Somerton shop.

Kelly's visit on Feb. 27 put a federal policy debate into a local setting, with a Somerton repair bay and a 15% parts‑price figure providing concrete evidence of how tariffs and supply costs are filtering down to consumers and family‑run businesses in Yuma County. As Kelly continued his day of meetings in the valley, he emphasized that "that is why he believes it is important to hear directly from business owners.