Posted on 02/19/2024 1:21:30 PM PST by lowbridge
Lawmakers in Hawaii are poised to approve a $25 climate tax on tourists who visit the Aloha State in an effort to combat what they claim is an assault on the area’s natural resources.
The state, which saw 9.5 million people visit last year, is recovering from the devastating wildfires in Lahaina, Maui, which killed at least 100 people and caused damages worth around $6 billion.
The proposed tax will pay to protect beaches and prevent wildfires, state officials said.
“It’s a very small price to pay to preserve paradise,” Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, a Democrat, told The Wall Street Journal.
A tax by the nation’s 50th state would follow in the footsteps of other tourist hot spots including Greece; Venice, Italy; the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador; the Pacific island nation of Palau; Greece; and New Zealand — all of which have levied fees on tourist ranging from $1 to $100.
In 2022, Green campaigned on a platform of having all tourists pay a $50 fee to enter the state, but the proposal failed to gain the necessary votes in the state legislature.
“All I want to do, honestly, is to make travelers accountable and have the capacity to help pay for the impact that they have,” Green told AP last year.
“We get between nine and 10 million visitors a year, (but) we only have 1.4 million people living here. Those 10 million travelers should be helping us sustain our environment.”
Green told The Journal he anticipates that a $25 fee would raise $68 million annually for the state, which would then use the money to establish a state fire marshal as well as to help with disaster prevention.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
How does giving money to the state repair imaginary damage?
If they pass such a stupid law, it will hurt their tourist business because people will consider not traveling to Hawaii. I know it will me, even though I have kin there.
I was in Honolulu in Sept 2023 and wanted to walk down town, see the sights, hit a nice restaurant with my wife. That area is very swanky and touristy BUT the homeless, pan-handlers, street preachers with LOUD PA SYSTEMS have ruined it.
They need to clean up that area. The beaches are fine.
In a few years it will be $100.
The bums in their drug camps set many brushfires. For a while, they were sleeping on sidewalks in Kona in clear view and nothing was done.
Could Texas or Florida charge a similar tourist tax?
I would suppose that any self governing entity, state, commonwealth, could charge any tax they see fit. Provided it’s not unconstitutional like a Poll Tax or maybe a gun tax.
I’m returning stateside Thursday from Kauai. Outside of the resort areas it’s a dump.
Bingo!!! 👍
Isn’t already expensive enough to “preserve paradise”?
It is a very nice place. Traveled to Maui around 20 times.
ducttape45 wrote: “If they pass such a stupid law, it will hurt their tourist business because people will consider not traveling to Hawaii.”
I doubt it would affect tourism that much since it is a relatively small amount on top of the large amount to travel there.
The reason they advance this tax is it does not affect residents who can actually vote. Politicians love taxing those who cannot vote.
Texas could charge a fee from ‘visitors’ from old Mexico who cross the border. A very small price to pay to protect paradise.
I'm not going to Texas and will never live there. I was stationed there for nearly a year and that was enough.
Anyway, I think if this unconstitutional tax is allowed to stand then Texas should make some sort of tax in perpetuity for all the people who move there from Leftist states like California (or even Hawaii). It just might keep some of the riff-raff out.
I wonder whose pocket is being lined?
“and pay taxes”
and stupid “resort fees”
So that every native Hawaiian can get some crony government job that they are totally unqualified to do. Like the guy who was in charge of “water equity” and potentially let the Lahiana fires get out of control.
Yes. The Democrats over there think since people are paying thousands of dollars to fly over there and stay for a week or so at a decent hotel they will not mind another $25, immediately to be raised to $100, per person.
I can bet if tourists actually don't mind then that money will be decremented from all the trinkets they purchase thus lowering the income of actual Hawaiian residents while enriching the corrupt Hawaiian government.
All those millions of people are spending money all day every day — just not directly into legislators’ pockets, and that’s the real problem.
Puerto Rico is 4 hours away.Hawaii is 10 hours away.Hawaii charges a tax.Puerto Rico doesn’t.Decisions...decisions!
The democrats dominate the state and are determined to wring it dry to fund liberal programs.
“Hawaii taxpayers bailing out”
Somebody ought to set up a Go Fund Me account to help Texas send some of their recent southern infusions.
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