County tax collector won’t abide Airbnb’s insistence on secrecy

Airbnb Florida Policy Director Tom Martinelli’s “Point of View” submission (“Airbnb deal could ease the collection of bed taxes for county,” May 18) falsely states that I have “expressed no interest in entering into an agreement” with Airbnb to facilitate and collect taxes for short-term rentals. I have had several conversations with Airbnb representatives about this very topic.

I am willing, even eager, to enter into a partnership with Airbnb as long as such agreement meets an important test. Any Airbnb agreement must not require me to waive or forgo my responsibilities spelled out in Florida law. My responsibility is to treat Palm Beach County taxpayers equally, without exception.

Airbnb proposes to keep host and property location information confidential. This confidentiality serves only Airbnb. Their interest is in securing a competitive advantage over other vacation rental platforms.

Something more important is at stake. By keeping their host information confidential, Airbnb would have me waive and forgo my statutory duties as Palm Beach County’s constitutional tax collector to audit taxes collected and paid by Airbnb hosts. This shroud of secrecy removes my agency’s ability to ensure accuracy, creating preferential treatment for their clients. This secrecy does not serve the county, our taxpayers or tourists.

Airbnb does provide this information to government agencies in other locations in the United States and abroad. Airbnb’s own terms of service require their clients to allow Airbnb to provide this information. Clients must agree to these terms before they can become an Airbnb host.

Martinelli also fails to mention that I initiated active litigation against Airbnb several years ago, and it is ongoing. Certainly, Airbnb has been doing business for several years in Palm Beach County, but they haven’t paid a dime in Tourist Development taxes. Instead of continuing to deal with me in good faith, Martinelli has chosen to take this litigation to the press. I am not in the habit of litigating in the press but feel it is important to respond here to set the record straight.

I look forward to the day Airbnb presents a proposed partnership agreement I can support, one that does not require me to ignore my duties under the law.