A little. Bigger story is that they are getting away with not paying their fair share of tax. Then the tax collector uses the ‘no resources” excuse to not go after them.
I offer my plan. Have the parking enforcement department search the web and collect addresses since they are not enforcing parking anyway. Then impose a yearly flat tax based on number of rooms the house has. Should get enough revenue to hire someone at the tax collection office to actually collect taxes.
Pacific Grove inn owner Amrish Patel said the lack of regulation on sales tax for these rentals can create an unfair advantage.
“It’s not fair that we’re being taxed and they’re not,” Patel said. “But I don’t know how you can enforce that.”
The city of Pacific Grove prohibits renting out private rooms, but does allow homeowners to rent out their whole house if they get a transient use license. KSBW searched for rentals in the Pacific Grove area and found more than 150 renters listing private bedrooms for rent.
Monterey County tax collector Mary Zeeb said neighbors call in to report illegal renting but that her staff does not have the time or resources to check whether each renter paid sales tax on the revenue.
And what kind of P.G. homeowner would be opening up their house for profits with no overhead cost?
Sustainakook Joy Colon-Jello for starters