Supervisors Approve Airbnb Agreement

Sonora, CA — After a year and a half of negotiations with Airbnb, Tuolumne County Supervisors approved a plan to streamline the collect occupancy taxes on homeshares.

County Treasurer/Tax Collector Shelley Piech was enthusiastic when she told the board Airbnb and county counsel both finally signed off on the agreement.  The deal calls for the online service to collect the county’s 10 percent Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) on short-term rental or lodging facilities, not the owners of the property. The TOT will be accrued at the point of sale, and then submit it to the county.  In return, the county will keep Airbnb’s information confidential.  With a big smile Piech reported, “It is my pleasure to present this to you with my recommendation that this collection agreement be signed so the county can start receiving the transient occupancy taxes due — Yea!”

The board voted unanimously, with District 1 Supervisors Sherri Brennan absent, in favor of the agreement.  TOT’s are the same taxes collected and paid by hotels. As previously reported, back in May of last year, Piech shared her frustration with the board regarding the online homeshare industries not collecting the tax.  At that time, the board agreed to send a letter to state lawmakers supporting legislation aimed at providing local governments the legal tools with which to ensure land use and tax payment compliance from the growing home-sharing and short-term rental industry.  Piech also stated that she has gladly given Sonora City officials her contacts at Airbnb to begin negotiating their own deal.