Skeptic Chris Martz tweets: “The government invents imaginary problems, then demands you pay more taxes to solve them. This scam needs to be shut down.”
Federal judge upholds Hawaii’s new climate change tax on cruise passengers
A federal judge’s ruling has cleared the way for Hawaii to include cruise ship passengers in a new tourist tax to help cope with climate change, a levy set to go into effect at the start of 2026.
U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake denied a request Tuesday that sought to stop officials from enforcing the new law on cruises.
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.
Honolulu’s tide gauge goes back to 1905, and shows just .51 feet of sea rise per 100 years. Exactly average for a Holocene century. It should be way more during a warm periods. Erosion is not ‘climate change’, they are islands. Wildfires are manmade problems
Cruise Lines International Association challenged the tax in a lawsuit, along with 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. Among their arguments is that the new law violates the Constitution by taxing cruise ships for the privilege of entering Hawaii ports.
Plaintiff lawyers also argued that the tax would hurt tourism by making cruises more expensive. The lawsuit notes the law authorizes counties to collect an additional 3% surcharge, bringing the total to 14% of prorated fares.
Look, Hawaiians voted for the people who put this tax in place. Every experiment needs an experimental group, right. Let’s see what happens to the economy of Hawaii, see if the peasants enjoy the fallout. And, anyhow, if the doomsday cultists in Hawaii hate fossil fuels, why not ban cruise ships, gas powered boats, airplanes, and helicopters?
I don’t see a problem with this. Setting aside the “sleep in your own bed” metaphors, The ability to tax by legislatures is pretty much unrestricted. California tried to limit it with Proposition 13 on property taxes but the state just takes taxes from other sources to make up the difference. Naturally, not a dime will be spent on climate restoration. Taxes are spent on goods and services. Those goods and services are provided by people. In this case, it will be by people who have connections with Democratic party officials. It’s not about the climate. It’s about the money. It’s always about the money.
According to the Internet, Hawaii does not have naturally white sandy beaches. That sand is brought in from other sources around the world to benefit tourism. It washes away and erodes naturally and the beach owners pay to replenish it from time to time using their own money. So now it looks like wealthy land owners (Democrats) in Hawaii have found a way to get the legislature (Democrats) to tax middle class tourists to pay the bill for them. Brilliant.
Mr Teach becomes very excitable when people living 5000 miles away do things that he considers wrong
Tourists are universally disliked and have huge downside impacts on locals. Tourist dollars may provide entry level jobs but drive real estate prices up displacing locals. Hawaii has the 3rd highest percent of EVs per capita registered.
And don’t fling a red herring. About gas prices. Drivers in Cali and Hawaii spend close to the same amount on gas as drivers in NC. Due to newer more efficient cars. And having to drive fewer miles each year.
Professor Hale you know I fact check
Remember the kids in Honduras not ever seeing snow? Last time was 9 years ago
Large scale sand importation ended in the 1970s and it is illegal to remove sand from any beach in Hawaii and yes Hawaii does have white sand beaches.in fact more than it’s black sand beaches. You really gotta get out of your house more. Although I can’t recommend Hawaii both for its benefit and yours.
Your defense of wealthy people in Hawaii is noted. Do corporations next.
Last time I was in Honduras, the store windows in Tegucigalpa were painted with spray on snow and images of snowmen. I asked a kid if he had ever seen snow. He said only on TV. It was 80 degrees that year at Christmas. Next time I see that kid I’ll pass along your “fact check” and tell him he needs to get out more.
They can not ban all fossil fuel use at this time because alternatives take time to develope.
The Eviction aircraft was due to come out in 2037bbut had been delayed for at least 2 years because of the net advancing battery technology which will give it 50% more range
It will probably end up with that solidstate tech that when tested in the big Mercedes gave it a 950 mile range. That is due also in 2nd half of 2027 but only on high end cars at first, widespread in 2030
Good job, Hawaii. Won’t affect the weather at all.
“Can’t ban all fossil fuel use..” Johnny, why would they need to ban fossil fuel use?
Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) results in CO2 (carbon dioxide) accumulating in the atmosphere. CO2 is a “greenhouse” gas which slows heat loss from Earth, leading to global warming.