FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 8, 2020
Pine’s new revenue source to help offset visitor impacts
HONOLULU, HAWAI‘I — A new “Keep Hawai‘i Hawai‘i Pass Program” has been approved by the Honolulu City Council. Proposed by Councilmember Kym Pine as part of a sweeping Keep Hawai‘i Hawai‘i” package of legislation, Bill 3 will become a new revenue source to help offset visitor impacts while also helping to fund basic services for kama‘aina, as well as for visitors who wind up in need of emergency City services during their stays.
“As the visitor count plummeted with COVID-19, residents were able to see first-hand, how much healthier our land, our beaches and our ocean have become,” Pine said. This new, innovative program offers kama‘aina and visitors the option of buying a pass that will give them discounts on popular attractions, while also supplementing the operating budgets for the City’s first responders, all without raising taxes. These new funds will help us take care of parks and beach parks and keep them beautiful for all to enjoy.”
This bill is part of Councilmember Pine’s successful “Keep Hawai‘i Hawai‘i” package of legislation that seeks to promote visitor awareness and on-island behaviors that are as environmentally responsible and culturally sensitive as possible, as in Ordinance 20-2, enacted in February.
Another item in this package, enacted March 5, will have the City and County of Honolulu Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency to track and report annually on Oahu visitor industry sustainability efforts as a way to encourage that industry to adopt sustainable eco-tourism policies whenever possible, with the aim of reducing solid waste production, reducing water and fossil fuel use and promoting options for renewable energy and multi-modal transportation.
Bill 3: https://is.gd/SYDSYV
FD1 amendment: https://is.gd/n0BO2A
Ordinance 20-2, “Keep Hawai‘i Hawai‘i — Promise to Our Keiki Pledge”
http://www4.honolulu.gov/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-256771/ORD20-002.pdf
Ordinance 20-3, Relating to the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency
http://www4.honolulu.gov/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-257485/ORD20-003.pdf
Councilmember Kym Pine represents residents of District One (ʻEwa, ʻEwa Beach, Kapolei, Honokai Hale, Ko ʻOlina, Nānākuli, Mā‘ili, Wai‘anae, Mākaha, Kea‘au, Mākua) and is chair of the City Council’s Committee on Business Economic Development and Tourism.
Media Contact:
Erika Engle
Communications Director
erika [dot] engle <at> Honolulu [dot] gov
# # #
