With what appears this afternoon to be a significant step in resolving some of the differences between the Governor, the State Senate, and the State Assembly relating to the state budget proposal, Assembly Republican (majority party) leadership agreed to the Governor's transportation funding compromise. Now the state Senate is meeting to consider if they too can accept the same proposal.
The transportation budget and a number of Tax issues remain to be negotiated in the Joint Finance committee before they pass their budget bill and it moves to both houses of the state legislature for what will likely be minimal further changes before it goes to the Governor for his final veto's and signature. We anticipate that the over 3 week past due state budget will pick up speed shortly, and we have begun meeting again with key leaders of both houses and the Joint Finance Committee to pursue the remaining issues of concern to Wisconsin's lodging industry before the budget starts wrapping up.
Today we wish to focus on a major issue to many of our members: the unfair playing field advantage for many Airbnb and like platform residential/investment property rentals. Too many are being offered for public rentals without being licensed & inspected, and without collecting and remitting state sales tax, premier resort area tax, and local room tax.
The WH&LA has been working with numerous interested legislators to remedy this unfair advantage in a way that should be more fair to all those renting out their homes for a fee to the public.
WHAT IS NEEDED RIGHT NOW??
While we had sent a request on June 21 for emails to be sent to Joint Finance on this topic, and some did so, we are asking now for all members who are interested in having a more firmly fair competitive playing field to send a simple but important email to all of the Joint Finance Committee Members listed below, in addition to your own state Senator and State Assembly Representative Plus both of the leaders of each body. WHY NOW? This is the best chance to get the reform needed passed without further delay!
What Needs to be Said?
- Start by Identifying your name, lodging property, and city. Too often emails skip this and legislators ignore the content.
- Explain the growing problem you are seeing with the proliferation of illegal unlicensed rentals who are ignoring public safety and the payment of any taxes without any accountability, while you operate legally and pay all taxes. This provides an unfair competitive playing field for your tax-paying business!
- Ask them to support inclusion of legislation in the state budget that will require all residential dwellings being rented out to the public for more than 10 days a year to become licensed and follow the law on all tax payments at the state and local levels.
- Thank them for their important consideration in fixing this unfair competition problem.
