THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	158
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the governor and legislature to Convene a joint task force to identiFy and examine potential SOURCES OF INCREASED revenue and measures to reduce state costs.

 

 

     WHEREAS, it is critical for the State to have a stable financial plan for current and future fiscal years; and

 

     WHEREAS, the State continues to rely on budgeted carryovers, federal reimbursements, and restrictions on discretionary funds to balance the state budget; and

 

     WHEREAS, there needs to be more emphasis on state funding of government programs; and

 

     WHEREAS, the State is currently not collecting revenue from potential revenue sources, such as:

 

     (1)  Transient accommodations taxes and general excise taxes from illegal transient vacation rentals;

 

     (2)  Transient accommodations taxes from hotel resort fees; and

 

     (3)  Transient accommodations taxes from online transient accommodation intermediaries; and

 

     WHEREAS, the State should consider increasing revenue generated from various sources, such as:

 

     (1)  Increasing the conveyance tax rates for residential investment properties with a value of at least $2,000,000;

 

     (2)  Increasing the taxes withheld on the amount realized by nonresidents from the disposition of the State's real property from five to nine percent; and

 

     (3)  Amending the formula for the amount of transient accommodations tax to be collected from time shares by increasing the base amount on which time share occupancy is taxed from the existing formula of one-half of the gross daily maintenance fees paid by the owner and are attributable to the time share unit; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2018, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Governor and Legislature are requested to convene a joint task force to identify ways to:

 

     (1)  Collect uncollected revenues;

 

     (2)  Generate revenue by enacting tax measures that have minimal impact on families with low- and moderate-incomes; and

 

     (3)  Reduce costs by re-describing positions and eliminating unnecessary vacancies in various state departments and agencies; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be composed of:

 

     (1)  The Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means or the Chair's designee;

 

     (2)  The Chair of the House of Representatives Committee on Finance or the Chair's designee; and

 

     (3)  A representative from the Office of the Governor, designated by the Governor; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor is requested to share the Governor's six-year financial plan with the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the joint task force is strongly encouraged to meet every fiscal quarter to review and update the financial plan as necessary; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, President of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Joint Task Force; Office of the Governor; Legislature; Revenue