Free Republic

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...

Hawaii's governor wants to impose a $25 'climate fee' on tourists, saying the funds collected would be used to protect the state's beaches and prevent wildfires. Governor Josh Green, a Democrat, last month introduced a bill that would impose the flat fee upon check-in at hotels or vacation rentals, projecting it will raise about $68 million annually. 'It's a very small price to pay to preserve paradise,' Green told the Wall Street Journal, saying the new tax would fund a state fire marshal, new fire breaks to protect vulnerable communities, and disaster insurance.