HONOLULU (AP) - Hawaii Gov. David Ige on Monday laid out a framework that counties may follow for opening more businesses and operations, including gyms, dine-in restaurants and churches as the state eases restrictions to control the spread of the coronavirus. But people will still have to observe social distancing to limit the disease.
The state is now able to move from a “safer at home” stage, where businesses including shopping malls and pet groomers were allowed to reopen, to an “act with care” phase that allows for so-called medium-risk businesses to operate.
There aren’t specific dates for when certain businesses may open and counties will be able to set their own timelines, Ige said. For example, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has said dine-in restaurant service, with certain restrictions, is approved to begin June 5.
It hasn’t bee determined when large venues, bars and clubs will be allowed to reopen.
The state reported no new cases of coronavirus on Monday, keeping Hawaii’s total number of cases at 640. There have been 17 deaths.
If cases increase, Ige warned, the state will consider closing businesses and reverting to stricter restrictions.
The pandemic has wreaked havoc on Hawaii’s economy.
The chairman of the state Senate Ways and Means Committee said Hawaii tax revenue sank 33% in April compared to the same month a year earlier.
Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz told reporters during a video news conference that the state reported $540 million in general fund tax revenue last month. That compares to $810 million in April 2019.
Revenues reported in April reflect taxes collected in March, which is when tourism to Hawaii began to drop precipitously amid measures to slow the virus. On March 26, the state began requiring that travelers to Hawaii observe 14 days of quarantine.
“You can see that’s a big difference already. We’re expecting the May report to be even lower,” Dela Cruz said.
Dela Cruz said as long as tourism stays low and the state maintains its traveler quarantine, Hawaii will need to depend on the federal government for assistance, look to special funds and consider budget cuts.
Asked whether pay cuts for state workers were on the table, Dela Cruz said, “It just depends. If tourism rebounds much faster because they can get a hold of the situation and the public feels safe, then probably not.”
Ige on Monday extended the 14-day quarantine for travelers arriving in the state through June 30.
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This story has been corrected to show tax revenue figures were $540 million last month and $810 million in April 2019. The figures were transposed in an earlier version of the story.
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