HawaiiRuler legislation This enhances a tax imposed on the hotel room and set up holidays to raise funds to address the consequences Climate crisis.
This is the first time in a government in the United States to impose such a tax to help overcome warming planet.
Officials estimate that the tax will generate approximately $ 100 million annually. Money will be used for projects such as sand regeneration in the erosion of the beaches of Waikiki, which enhances the use of hurricane clips to secure surfaces during strong storms and disinfect the flammable gas herbs such as those that nourished the large wildfires that killed 102 people on the island of Maoi two years ago.
Hawaii governor, Josh Green, said on Tuesday that the states and other countries will need to act similar to the treatment of climate disasters roaming the planet.
“There will be no way to deal with these crises without some thinking mechanism forward,” Green said.
The scale adds an additional 0.75 % to the daily room price tax starting from January 1. Green said this reaches an additional tax of $ 3 at the price of a hotel room worth $ 400.
It also fulfills 11 % new taxes on the bills of cruise ships that start in July 2026, which were implemented for the number of days when the ships are located in the Hawaiian ports. This ruling will bring the tax ship taxes in line with room taxes on the ground.
Travelers to Hawaii already pay a large room tax. With the new law, the current tax will end with 10.25 % on the short term accommodation to 11 %. Along with state taxes and other provinces, visitors will pay approximately 19 % tax on accommodations – one of the highest prices in the country.
Green argued that the increase is small enough, tourists will not feel a lot of difference. He expected, given that many visitors travel to the state to enjoy the environment, many of whom will be welcomed by turning dollars to protect the coasts and societies.
Ultimately, Hawaiian hotels supported the invoice, saying that it would help improve visitors’ experience. Green said that the industry looked at the “greatest good” of tourism, Hawaii and the planet.
Green initially suggested a draft law that would put revenues from the tax increase in a dedicated fund, but the lawmakers instead put the money in the General Fund of the state. The management of the compromise of the ruler calls for a request for funds from the Legislative Authority for Projects in the following areas: Protection of forests, plants and original animals; Enhancing climate elasticity. And reduce the effects of tourism on the environment. Green said they would cooperate to implement the law.
Adrian Tam, the representative of the state and head of the Tourism Committee in the House of Representatives, said that the state must gain the confidence of the public that it will spend the money in transparency and in the best possible way. He pointed out that the Hawaiian tourism economy depends on a brand that partially depends on a primitive natural environment.
“You will struggle to make visitors if we do not take action now,” said Tam, a democratic representing Wikiki. “There will be nothing left for them to display the rest of the world if our beaches were canceled, as forest fires have acquired our cities and raised without their management.”
