Posted on 06/16/2025 7:34:10 AM PDT by davikkm
The ink is dry. Hawaii has officially become the first state in the nation to impose a climate tax. It’s called the Green Fee. The name sounds harmless. The impact is anything but.
Senate Bill 1396 is now law. It tacks on a 0.75% increase to the Transient Accommodations Tax. That means every hotel stay, every short-term rental, every cruise ship docking in the islands will now carry a new surcharge. The state expects this to rake in $100 million annually.
This isn’t a symbolic gesture. It’s a full-scale revenue engine. The money will be funneled into climate resilience projects. Think wildfire prevention, coral reef restoration, flood mitigation, and invasive species removal. The state says it’s about protecting the land. But the math tells a different story.
(Excerpt) Read more at citizenwatchreport.com ...
There is no requirement to visit Hawaii.
... The money will be distributed through grants. Local nonprofits and agencies will apply. ...In other words, 100% graft and cronyism.
Florida is also looking to raise tourist taxes. The difference is that the revenue will be used to reduce/eliminate taxes on Florida residents. If you are Hawaii or Florida, states with natural features that draw visitors from other states/countries, then taxing revenue tourism instead of residents makes sense. This assumes it isn’t taken to the point where it offsets too tourism revenue.
So, when I see Green Programs, I assume “finding ways to throw money at political allies”. Harder to waste money like that when the revenue is used to reduce other taxes.
Not disagreeing about taxes. Hawaii (and many other states) already have tourism taxes. This one is specifically earmarked for “climate change”.
"Tourists will foot the bill. $100M a year. Here’s what lawmakers aren’t saying out loud."
Depending on the judge, this law may conflict with the Constitution's Article IV, Section 2, Clause 1.
"Article IV, Section. 2, Clause 1: The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States."
Exactly, put a tax on everyone coming to the mainland.
Wildfire prevention, huh. Well, maybe they shouldn’t be intentionally setting strategic fires to steal prime land.
Sounds fair. The Maintaining the Mainland tax. Or Preserving CONUS Tax,...
I could see Colorado doing it.
I remember, when Chicago major Daily hiked Chicago Hotel tax and proudly declared that “out of towners” will now foot the Chicago welfare machine.
Unfortunately, the Chicago hotel industry collapsed, as everybody stayed in suburbs.
I just scratched Hawaii from my possible vacation list.
Net-Zero, carbon credits, carbon tax - are all the same.
They are a form of state/central banker counterfeiting.
Now attaching their new form of tradeable, controllable, fiat money directly to the source of wealth itself - energy.
Hate to tell yo this but during the Obamacare fight the US Supreme Court said congress can tax anything, at any rate, for any reason.
Seems to me any Hawaiin coming to the mainland burns a bunch of fossil fuel getting here.
Including dumb Maizie
Well, we can cross Hawaii off the list of places that I would like to visit.
There are other beautiful places to go other than over built Hawaii, that don’t tax visitors.
Tax Grab in the name of a Lie , that goes to their Slush Fund
I went years ago, best vacation ever. It was on Kauai and very beautiful. I'll never go back. Locals will steal anything but a red hot stove. I did love my time there but TSA and high prices and strictly enforced ridiculous speed limits. They are all about the revenue.
I went to Oahu once. Thank the Lord it was only for five days to fly the simulator. I felt like it was like getting trapped in Disneyland.
“The money will be funneled into climate resilience projects. Think wildfire prevention, coral reef restoration, flood mitigation, and invasive species removal” BS.
This is a money grab very little if any will go to the named causes and amounts that do will be for fruitless and wasted efforts.
I could see CO doing this, too.
But it’s one of the NW states. I think it’s Idaho, as the motive was to tax rich Californians who run up property prices and squeeze actual voting residents.
But I vaguely remember Jackson Hole being the impetus. Not sure.
So it could just as easily be Montana or even Wyoming.
But it had to be a "thing". In this case Hawaii is taxing nothing at all.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.