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MTFP - Bills would let cities tax Airbnbs to subsidize long-term rentals

A bill under consideration at the Montana Legislature would give cities, counties and resort districts the option of levying a tax on Airbnb-style, short-term rentals if they use the money to give rebates to landlords who rent to local workers on a long-term basis

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    MTFP - Bills would let cities tax Airbnbs to subsidize long-term rentals
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    Read the entire article at Montana Free Press, by Eric Dietrich
    From the article:
    “At its Friday hearing, the rent local tax bill drew support from the Montana League of Cities and Towns, the Montana Lodging and Hospitality Association, Lone Mountain Land Company, the Yellowstone Club, Gallatin County, the City of Bozeman and the Town of West Yellowstone, among others. No opponents testified, though some conservative lawmakers on the committee asked questions indicating they may be skeptical of the proposal.
    Proponents argued that short-term rentals have proliferated in many Montana resort communities in recent years as property owners find them more lucrative than long-term rentals that can house year-round residents. That squeezes out workers like hotel staff, teachers and EMTs, forcing them to commute long distances and also making hiring a challenge for employers.
    “Long-term solutions to the housing woes experienced by Montana communities are slow, complex and expensive,” said David O’Connor, the executive director of the Big Sky Community Housing Trust. “The rent local bill puts communities in the driver’s seat with an immediate tool to address the loss of their long-term housing to the vacation rental industry.”

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