Be funny as hell if the cruise ships said “nah, bru, we’re going to change our routes and not bring all those paying customers”
Cruise industry sues to challenge Hawaii’s tourism tax designed to deal with climate change issues
A lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Hawaii imposing a tourist tax to deal with consequences of climate change seeks to stop officials from enforcing the new law on cruise ship passengers.
In the nation’s first such levy to help cope with a warming planet, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green signed legislation in May that raises tax revenue to deal with eroding shorelines, wildfires and other climate problems. Officials estimate the tax will generate nearly $100 million annually.
The levy increases rates on hotel room and vacation rental stays but also imposes a new 11% tax on the gross fares paid by a cruise ship’s passengers, starting next year, prorated for the number of days the vessels are in Hawaii ports. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. court in Honolulu this week, notes the law authorizes counties to collect an additional 3% surcharge, bringing the total to 14% of prorated fares.
“No other State imposes comparable fees — and for good reason: It has been a fundamental principle since the Founding that the navigable waters of the United States are a common resource, not one to be commandeered by individual States for their own parochial revenue-raising interests,” attorneys representing the Cruise Lines International Association wrote in a motion asking a judge to prevent the state and counties from collecting the tax on cruise ships while the lawsuit is pending.
A Honolulu company that provides supplies and provisions to cruise ships, and tour businesses out of Kauai and the Big Island that rely on cruise ship passengers joined the cruise ship association in the lawsuit.
If those ships do not come to Hawaii, that’s a lot of lost revenue to hotels, vehicle rentals, all sorts of tourist spots, those who do the supplies and provisions, and more.
According to the lawsuit, the cruise ship industry draws nearly 300,000 annual visitors to Hawaii, supporting thousands of jobs throughout the state and contributing more than $600 million a year to the economy.
The tax would make Hawaii cruises too expensive, and potential visitors will choose to vacation elsewhere, the lawsuit said.
The ships won’t pay it, they’ll charge more. And cruise ships do bring a small amount of goods to ports. I wonder if the lawyers will note that Hawaii has a large number of airports for airplanes and helicopters? That they have a large number of fossil fueled boats, buses, and motor vehicles? They should offer photos of the governor and members of their general assembly taking fossil fueled vehicles and flights.
Our esteemed host began:
Hawai’i is a dream vacation spot for many American tourists, and the 50th state is well positioned for what they’re doing, to raise taxes on other people to fight
global warmingclimate change. The Aloha State is betting that, at the margins, the tax will raise revenues in excess of any marginal tourist revenues lost.The cruise lines won’t pay the tax; it will simply be passed on to their customers in their fares. The only question becomes whether the cruise lines see fewer total customers at the margins. The state is betting that the lost customers will be the ones with the least money to spend in Hawai’i in the first place.
My father’s family are from Mau’i, but I’ve never been there. I don’t remember much about my grandmother other than she insisted I learn the names of the seven major islands, and yes, I still remember those today. I last saw my paternal grandparents when I was eight.
Mr Dana is correct. Tariffs are paid mostly by the ultimate consumer.
Fat dumb jeff,
No that is not correct. The tariffs will make selective items more expensive. But those items will be replaced by cheaper, better American goods that will bring back out industry, which was sold away by the Clintons, Obamas and Bidens.
… Hawaii imposing a tourist tax to
deal with consequences of climate changeget more money from tourists.Fixed it for you.
It’s is always about the money. Hawaii already has tourist taxes on everything. They should have just raised the rate and no one would have noticed.
Our touring group gave up on Hawaii because Honolulu was so filthy, dangerous, and downright disgusting. Homeless bums everywhere, some were even elected. Excessive taxes are not going to lure us back.
We’ve flown into Honolulu, but stayed on Hawaii (“The Big Island”), which I highly recommend. We stayed in Kona (desert side) but travelled the mountain farms/cattle ranches and small towns (Waimea), Hilo (rain forest side), Kilauea volcano and lava fields. At a small town diner the server said I probably wouldn’t like the banana leaf-wrapped pork shoulder slow-cooked in a pit (Kalua pig), but I insisted. She was right. But the pineapple cole-slaw and fresh caught mahi-mahi are great. The people there are wonderful.
Well, of course it’s all about you, Rimjob.
Such a putz.