August 6, 1999

DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION ANNOUNCEMENT NO. 99-26


RE: Act 178, Session Laws of Hawaii 1999 (Act 178), Relating to Technology

The purpose of Act 178 is to spur economic development and foster the growth of knowledge-based industries in Hawaii by consolidating the State's high technology agencies, providing access to the Internet for the University of Hawaii and public schools, and enacting tax incentives.

I. Tax Incentives in Act 178

Act 178 contains several tax incentives to support the development of high technology industries in Hawaii.

II. Workshops To Explain Tax Incentives

The tax incentives in Act 178, and Act 70, SLH 1999, relating to the general excise tax exemption for exported services and contracting and the imposition of a new use tax on imported services, will be discussed in a workshop on Wednesday, August 18, 1999 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Ilima Room of the Ala Moana Hotel. There is no charge for this workshop, but seating is limited to 60 people. Please call Janice Kato of the Hawaii High Technology Development Corporation at 808-539-3814 for reservations or additional information.

The first annual meeting of the Hawaii Technology Trade Association on September 23, 1999 will feature a tax workshop discussing these tax incentives for high technology industries. This workshop is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Please call Janice Kato of the High Technology Development Corporation at 808-539-3814 for reservations or additional information.

Forms and other tax information may be downloaded from the Department's website at: http://www.state.hi.us/tax/tax.html. On Oahu, forms may be ordered by calling the Department's Forms Request Line at: 587-7572. Persons who are not calling from Oahu may call: 1-800-222-7572 to receive forms by mail or 808-678-0522 from a fax machine to receive forms by fax.
 

/s/
RAY K. KAMIKAWA
Director of Taxation