San Juan Islands considers annual tourism fee for both visitors and residents
This would be in addition to the existing “lodging tax” on hotel accommodations. Current proposal is to sell an annual permit for $10 to $15 per year, for each car, bike or boat used in the islands.
Hawaii has also proposed a tourism tax or fee. Some places, like New Zealand and Venice, Italy, have already established tourist taxes and fees.
Taxes always start low – the U.S. Federal income tax started at 2%, when introduced, and only applied to very high earners. Today, tax rates run to tens of percent and apply to most of the population when including local taxes. Tourism taxes go the same way – lodging taxes started small, but today, they can run 18-20%. Tourism taxes are a convenient way to pass a tax on those who have no vote or say in the rules.
We are headed down a path where only the wealthy will be permitted to travel. But the common folk will be restricted by travel limits, regulations and taxes that price them out of travel.