Bill Text: HI HR231 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii House Resolution 231 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Rail

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 5-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-21 - (H) Referred to TRN, FIN, referral sheet 43 [HR231 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2011-HR231-Introduced.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	231
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

expressing support for reducing the surcharge imposed on the counties for the collection of the surcharge on the general excise tax to fund mass transit projects.

WHEREAS, funds for reducing Honolulu's traffic congestion problems must be obtained without increasing taxes; and

WHEREAS, the State retains a portion of revenues collected under sections 46-16.8, 237-8.6, and 238-2.6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to offset collection and administration costs; and

WHEREAS, the State is now taking in more than it needs to cover the costs of collecting the county surcharge on the general excise tax for mass transit projects for the counties; and

WHEREAS, the State surcharges the counties in the amount of ten per cent of the amount that it collects for the counties, while the Department of Taxation has testified that it needs only a three per cent surcharge to cover the costs of collecting this tax; and

WHEREAS, a surcharge of five per cent by the State would more than cover the costs incurred by the Department of Taxation in collecting this county surcharge on the general excise tax for the counties, as well as more than cover a possible increase in collection costs in the foreseeable future; and

WHEREAS, a reduction of the State's ten per cent surcharge on the county surcharge on the general excise tax would result in an increase in the amount of funds that a county would have to apply to the rail system and, thereby, would contribute to solving Honolulu's traffic congestion problems; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2011, that this body expresses its support for reducing, from the current rate of ten per cent to the rate of five per cent, the county surcharge imposed on the general excise tax for mass transit projects; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Director of Taxation, and the Mayor of each county.