FUNDING HAWAII'S STATE PARKS FOR KAMA'AINA AND VISITORS

One trip to Ke‘e State Park at the “End of the Road” will show you the dismal condition of Hawaii’s state parks. Nearly every day of the year, bathroom facilities are overrun, parking is difficult to find, garbage cans overflow, and litter is strewn across the beach. This is no way to treat one of Hawaii’s most spectacular beaches and the entrance point to the Na Pali coast.

The condition of Ke‘e State Park, unfortunately, is representative of state parks throughout Hawai‘i. Quite simply, the state government has failed to care for the natural areas that make life in Hawaii so incredible and attract visitors from around the world. Throughout my time in office, I have worked to secure the needed resources to care for Hawaii’s natural areas and during this past session the Legislature made an important first step to care for our state parks.

In the 2002 Legislative session, I passed legislation that:

• appropriates $1 million for repair and maintenance of state parks
• establishes a dedicated source of funds (hotel room tax) for state park maintenance

This legislation is an important first step towards improving the quality of life for Hawaii’s residents and the visitor experience. The funds appropriated for state parks will begin to address the backlog of repair and maintenance activities. Most importantly, this legislation uses a portion of the tax assessed on each hotel room stay and creates a reliable source of funds to sustain Hawaii’s state parks in the long-term. Tapping the hotel room tax makes a logical connection between the number of visitors that come to Hawai‘i and the ability to maintain the natural resources that attract them.

With this legislation, tomorrow’s families and visitors will have a much improved experience when they spend a day at Ke‘e State Park. They will enjoy the beautiful beach, views of the Na Pali coast, and spectacular reefs instead of fighting for parking, and worrying about the lack of bathroom facilities.

District 14, East & North Kauai

OTHER ARTICLES IN POSITION PAPERS SECTION

Bottle Bill
Land Banking
Renewable Energy
Gasoline Pricing
Hydrogen
State Parks Funding
Education