Airbnb’s ‘Guerrilla War’ Against Local Governments • Hacker News Board

Re: Airbnb’s ‘Guerrilla War’ Against Local Governments

#11

Post by stcredzero » Wed, Mar 20, 2019, 4:38 PM UTC

To be sure, these aren’t Airbnb’s taxes, any more than Hilton “pays” taxes for its guests’ hotel stays. Rather, the officials sparring with Airbnb want the company to collect and forward the taxes from guests, much as hotels do.

So this is local governments trying to railroad an online information/marketplace/intermediation firm into becoming a tax collector. The local governments can't practically collect the taxes, so they're extra-legally trying to bully AirBNB into doing it.

Business models are changing along with the societal changes in communications technology. Governments are pretending to themselves that this isn't a society-level change they should adapt to. (How would collecting such taxes be much different from collecting sales taxes?)

Re: Airbnb’s ‘Guerrilla War’ Against Local Governments

#12

Post by matchbok » Wed, Mar 20, 2019, 4:39 PM UTC

frontloadpro wrote: post #7

RcouF1uZ4gsC wrote: post #2

The more I look at AirBnb, it reality it seems like a conspiracy to enable illegal activity (illegal listings, not collecting taxes). I wonder if in the future, a US Attorney or State Attorney General will attempt to bring criminal charges against the principals of the company. The threat of real jail time would do wonders to get their attention.

The illegal listings is crony capitalism. Hotels don't want to compete. And tax evasion is a completely different topic, that is not why Airbnbs are shut down. Every industry has tax problems.

This has nothing to do with hotels. That's a cop out.

Re: Airbnb’s ‘Guerrilla War’ Against Local Governments

#13

Post by openbasic » Wed, Mar 20, 2019, 4:39 PM UTC

RcouF1uZ4gsC wrote: post #2

The more I look at AirBnb, it reality it seems like a conspiracy to enable illegal activity (illegal listings, not collecting taxes). I wonder if in the future, a US Attorney or State Attorney General will attempt to bring criminal charges against the principals of the company. The threat of real jail time would do wonders to get their attention.

Yeah, let's force citizens to bow to their government masters and pay their "fair" share, while Big Hotel lobbies away, competes unfairly and gets huge tax benefits.

Re: Airbnb’s ‘Guerrilla War’ Against Local Governments

#14

Post by RcouF1uZ4gsC » Wed, Mar 20, 2019, 4:40 PM UTC

frontloadpro wrote: post #7

RcouF1uZ4gsC wrote: post #2

The more I look at AirBnb, it reality it seems like a conspiracy to enable illegal activity (illegal listings, not collecting taxes). I wonder if in the future, a US Attorney or State Attorney General will attempt to bring criminal charges against the principals of the company. The threat of real jail time would do wonders to get their attention.

The illegal listings is crony capitalism. Hotels don't want to compete. And tax evasion is a completely different topic, that is not why Airbnbs are shut down. Every industry has tax problems.

The illegal listing is not just about hotels, it is about neighbors who don't want to deal with vacationers and parties and disruption.

Re: Airbnb’s ‘Guerrilla War’ Against Local Governments

#15

Post by matchbok » Wed, Mar 20, 2019, 4:40 PM UTC

AirBnb is a terrible, terrible company. Most of their money comes from corporate-owned mini-hotels yet they advertise as a mom and pop shop.

At every turn their solution is to sue small towns and cities so they can continue to extract wealth from our neighborhoods.

Disgusting.

Re: Airbnb’s ‘Guerrilla War’ Against Local Governments

#16

Post by drugme » Wed, Mar 20, 2019, 4:40 PM UTC

stcredzero wrote: post #11

To be sure, these aren’t Airbnb’s taxes, any more than Hilton “pays” taxes for its guests’ hotel stays. Rather, the officials sparring with Airbnb want the company to collect and forward the taxes from guests, much as hotels do. So this is local governments trying to railroad an online information/marketplace/intermediation firm into becoming a tax collector. The local governments can't practically collect the taxes,…

So this is local governments trying to railroad an online information/marketplace/intermediation firm into becoming a tax collector.

It's not "railroading", it's called "the regulated collection of reasonable usage fees." It's how cities are run, and have always been run.

If Airbnb doesn't like it -- they don't need to go into the hospitality business in these places.

Re: Airbnb’s ‘Guerrilla War’ Against Local Governments

#17

Post by frontloadpro » Wed, Mar 20, 2019, 4:42 PM UTC

matchbok wrote: post #15

AirBnb is a terrible, terrible company. Most of their money comes from corporate-owned mini-hotels yet they advertise as a mom and pop shop. At every turn their solution is to sue small towns and cities so they can continue to extract wealth from our neighborhoods. Disgusting.

Why is your profile littered with anti Airbnb comments?

Re: Airbnb’s ‘Guerrilla War’ Against Local Governments

#18

Post by dymk » Wed, Mar 20, 2019, 4:42 PM UTC

matchbok wrote: post #15

AirBnb is a terrible, terrible company. Most of their money comes from corporate-owned mini-hotels yet they advertise as a mom and pop shop. At every turn their solution is to sue small towns and cities so they can continue to extract wealth from our neighborhoods. Disgusting.

Source?

Re: Airbnb’s ‘Guerrilla War’ Against Local Governments

#19

Post by RcouF1uZ4gsC » Wed, Mar 20, 2019, 4:42 PM UTC

openbasic wrote: post #13

RcouF1uZ4gsC wrote: post #2

The more I look at AirBnb, it reality it seems like a conspiracy to enable illegal activity (illegal listings, not collecting taxes). I wonder if in the future, a US Attorney or State Attorney General will attempt to bring criminal charges against the principals of the company. The threat of real jail time would do wonders to get their attention.

Yeah, let's force citizens to bow to their government masters and pay their "fair" share, while Big Hotel lobbies away, competes unfairly and gets huge tax benefits.

Yeah, let's force community residents to deal with noise and parties and the increased cost of housing brought by AirBnb while allowing AirBnb and their billionaire investors to make a lot of money while pushing off all the externalities on the communities.

Re: Airbnb’s ‘Guerrilla War’ Against Local Governments

#20

Post by TheHypnotist » Wed, Mar 20, 2019, 4:42 PM UTC

matchbok wrote: post #15

AirBnb is a terrible, terrible company. Most of their money comes from corporate-owned mini-hotels yet they advertise as a mom and pop shop. At every turn their solution is to sue small towns and cities so they can continue to extract wealth from our neighborhoods. Disgusting.

Why is this disgusting?

Down vote with no answer?