To Whom It May Concern:
We came across this information in the trades and thought it would be of
interest to this newsgroup as well.
Happy sailing,
John Sisker, SHIP-TO-SHORE CRUISE AGENCY®
(714) 536-3850 or toll free at (800) 724-6644 & (pagoo ID: 714.536.3850)
www.shiptoshorecruise.com
The recently passed Alaska Cruise Ship Ballot Initiative is bringing
comprehensive reform to the industry's day-to-day operations in Alaska.
Perhaps Seattle, similarly awash in cruise ship controversy, should consider
Alaska's new rules regarding taxation, pollution control and fair trade. The
CSBI will require that cruise ships meet all Alaska pollution standards like
every other industrial and municipal discharger. The cruise lines have been
convicted of numerous felonies for purposely dumping hazardous and
conventional wastes, yet remain the least-regulated dischargers into public
waters. They will now have to meet Alaska's rules, and state marine
engineers will be on board to verify their compliance.
The CSBI establishes a statewide tax of $50 per passenger on 1 million
visitors cruising north each summer. The $50 million will help maintain the
docks, waterfronts and emergency services used by the industry so local
communities won't bear the whole burden of supporting tourism facilities
through local taxes. Cruise lines will now pay income taxes to Alaska on all
Alaska-based revenue, including gambling receipts. They've been making a
fortune for decades registering their ships in foreign ports to circumvent
federal taxes (while paying Third World wages for servicing first-class
clientele). Carnival's profits in 2005 totaled $2.3 billion on which it paid
$73 million in income taxes, a rate of 3 percent. The cruise lines also will
be required to communicate honestly with passengers about the commission
rates paid for promoting shoreside retailers.
Businesses pay exorbitant commissions to appear on ships' preferred merchant
lists and local businesses that often can't afford to pay (unlike the
out-of-town owned chain stores) are effectively blacklisted. For years,
industry lobbyists have used boatloads of tax-free money to block every
legislative attempt to pass fair pollution regulation and taxation laws for
the cruise lines. The cruise industry tried buying the recent election in
Alaska by giving a front group $15,000 a day to claim the CSBI was a
"punitive" attack on the entire Alaska tourism economy. The words "cruise
ship" never appeared in many of the ads but the public wasn't fooled and the
industry's fear campaign ran aground. Few people believed a $50 head tax
would decrease cruise traffic or spending in Alaska.
A typical one-week cruise costs $3,500 (cruise ticket plus airfare plus
shopping plus tours plus alcohol plus casino gambling). Alaska's $50 fee
will be less than 1.5 percent of the total vacation cost, less than one tank
of gas. The fact is cruise lines have raised their own ticket prices by
hundreds of dollars in recent years and more people are cruising to Alaska
than ever before. Every independent industry analyst interviewed after the
election agreed $50 would have no impact on Alaska's cruise economy. Seattle
should consider following in our wake because you share the same pollution
concerns and you too have a right to make a fair profit from this industry.
Passing the CSBI in Alaska has told the cruise lines (and the rest of the
world) that the ships may be welcome to come but must pay their fair share
and treat our corner of the world with care. Alaska decided it was about
time our ship came in, and maybe you should, too.
(Travel Industry News)
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