The Hawaii State Chamber of Commerce will use $75 million of its CARES Act money to give $500 debit cards to every resident who has qualified for unemployment insurance since March 25 and are still receiving money.
The cards can be used at restaurants within the state.
Honolulu Civil Beat reports that around 100,000 people will be receiving the cards. The money on the card can be used for the entire restaurant bill including alcohol purchases and tip.
So a night at the strip club must be covered as well.
Restaurant owner Debbie Ching-Maiava tells the Hawaii Tribune-Herald newspaper that she doesn’t think the $500 gift cards are a good idea even though they would likely help her business.
“I was thinking that something like that would be better suited for groceries, but I know they are trying to help restaurants…I think offering EBT cards or cards to be used for anything would be more helpful...although it will help the restaurant community, I don’t think there will be a long-term impact for the whole community.”
If Hawaii officials really want to help these restaurants long-term, then the best thing they can do is allow them to fully reopen.
These $500 gift cards are just a band-aid for a gushing wound.