On the evening of February 2, Chicago rideshare drivers gathered outside the Copernicus Center on the city’s Northwest Side, braving extremely cold and windy weather, to demand better working conditions, wages and benefits. ...more
Aloha! It’s summer doldrums round here at Texas Tax Roundup this month. Everybody in Texas tax world must be off on vacation in some tropical paradise somewhere where it’s not too hot and the Mai Tais flow more abundantly...more
Now that the holiday season is over, the post-holiday blues are setting in and bills are piling up. Everyone is looking for ways to make more money to cover those extra or unexpected year-end expenses....more
Now that the COVID-19 pandemic has dissipated, states and localities have begun to end temporary tax policies that were meant to provide relief to some taxpayers from the restrictions imposed by government during the...more
This week’s Update features a couple of stories (including one by Seattle’s own Geekwire.com) detailing the recent executive shake up at Expedia. Enjoy....more
This week’s Update features a number of stories on the largest online distributors as well as a story on an interesting new player that focuses exclusively on hoteliers’ “beyond bed” ancillaries and experiences. Enjoy....more
Use & Occupancy Tax Relief - On March 31, 2020, the City of Philadelphia Revenue Department announced that businesses that do not have access to their place of business because of the mayor’s March 17, 2020 order closing...more
Among the severe business consequences of COVID-19 has been the government-mandated closure of non-essential businesses to better prevent the spread of the virus. Such closures have affected many retail establishments and...more
The number of Airbnb listings in Boston has been cut in half due to local ordinances regulating the operation of short-term rentals. Boston is not the only city pushing back on Airbnb, a company that is battling local city...more
Airbnb Goes Luxe - ("Airbnb dives into ultra-high-end rentals. Here’s what brokers think," Real Deal - LA Real Estate News on Jun 2, 2019) - Last week, Airbnb announced it was rolling out Airbnb Luxe, a vertical featuring...more
This document briefly summarizes a select list of legislation relating to public finance enacted by the 86th Legislature (Regular Session) that became law. Bills are arranged alphabetically by subject matter, separating laws...more
Airbnb Back in Court - ("New rules don’t seem to be bringing Boston many short-term rental applications," Curbed - Boston on Apr 10) Earlier this week, Airbnb was in court arguing that the City of Boston’s short-term...more
In our upcoming Short-Term Rental Updates, we will share with you the latest news and stories related to short-term rentals, with a focus on industry-wide trends and regulatory developments, enforcement, and practical...more
This week's Update includes a story detailing yet another state’s efforts to close existing tax loopholes so that it may collect proper sales/occupancy taxes from OTAs. I hope you enjoy....more
This week’s Update for the shortened week ending Wednesday, November 22, is below....more
1. Hotel Occupancy Tax Declared Exempt For Evacuees and Relief Workers - The Governor of Texas, by way of proclamation, has exempted evacuees and relief workers from state and local hotel taxes. Currently the Governor’s...more
Beach to ski town and every city in between, it’s easier than ever to book vacation rentals. Today, travelers and homeowners are directly connected through the home-sharing websites Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway, FlipKey, and...more
This week’s OTA & Travel Distribution Update for the week ending April 14, 2017 is below. Additional details regarding last week’s long-awaited report on online travel by the European Commission are featured in this week’s...more
Below please find this week’s OTA & Travel Distribution Update for the week ending April 7, 2017. The recently released European Commission’s report on the hotel industry headlines this week’s Update. - European...more
This week’s OTA and Travel Distribution Update for the week ending December 16, 2016 is below. This week’s Update contains an update on one important recent court decision involving OTAs....more
California public agencies that impose transient occupancy (hotel) taxes may be limited in the tax they can collect from online transactions. The California Supreme Court on Monday ruled that TOT are limited to the...more
Long before Airbnb, short-term home rental platforms, such as VRBO and Vacation Home Rentals, connected individuals looking for hotel alternatives. Recently, however, the notion of short-term home rentals has become a...more
The General Assembly convened for the 2015 legislative session on January 14. Lawmakers returned to Raleigh on January 28 to begin the session in earnest. The MVA Public Affairs Legislative Report on North Carolina will be...more
At this writing, a bill authorizing certain counties to impose or increase their hotel taxes remains pending before the Pennsylvania House for concurrence on Senate amendments. Authorization of a local option Cigarette Tax...more
In This Issue: - New York Court Grants Airbnb’s Motion to Quash Attorney General’s Subpoena - New York City UBT Ruling Allows Broker-Dealer Sourcing for Non-Registered Broker-Dealers - ALJ Dismisses Action as...more