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Senate Bill 304 would impose a $50 “green fee” on every visitor to Hawaii. Ostensibly this would be used to offset any damage being done to our beautiful island by visitors.
On its face this is absurd. Tourism is the No. 1 industry in Hawaii. Doing anything to endanger that revenue stream would certainly not benefit the islands. We’ve already seen fees required for visitors using the likes of Hanauma Bay and Diamond Head. These are reasonable assessments aimed at a specific venue.
However, the thought of instituting a “cover charge” to come to Hawaii from another state or country is reprehensible. I guess anybody with a Hawaii driver’s license should then pay a similar fee to visit the beaches of California or the majestic landscapes of Utah. Let common sense reign supreme and let this legislation die.
Thomas Sousa
Waikiki
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