Deregulating lodging

[Morticia]

In response to a push by the state's lodging PAC to get air hosts licensed, the governor's office has instead floated the idea that NO lodging of any size be regulated. Then it would fall to the towns to enforce the kind of codes and licensing fees they want. We figured not being regulated wouldn't cut back on our costs as we'd still need the food portion inspected and most of our fees come from the town.
It doesn't really level the playing field from our standpoint and it puts the onus on the small towns to determine what to do. We'd still have to have the sprinkler system inspected (town regulation), food safety inspection (state requirement for food service) and the town licensing but no state license.
I'll go along with it if I can stop collecting lodging tax. If anyone can open an inn of any size without state regulations, why do only the established places have to collect tax?

 

[OnTheShore]

We are not subject to the food inspection part, but there are still laws and regulations that apply to lodging-only providers. Presumably, dropping the lodging licensing requirement wouldn't mean that those laws and regs no longer apply, just that there would no longer be inspectors going around to check-up on us to make sure we are in compliance. Is this really just the governor shirking his responsibility to enforce the existing laws that are on the books?
I don't think the licensing and inspections are all that big a deal, and it wouldn't effect us one way or another if they dropped it. But the lodging taxes, now that is a big deal. I would say that anyone who engages in a practice that results in their having to collect and remit lodging tax (in this state, that means renting out a room, apartment, cottage, etc... to transients for a total of more than 14 nights per year) should at least have to register... And that the governor should be devoting at least some resources to chasing down scofflaw tax cheats who are not collecting lodging taxes on the state's behalf!

 

[Morticia]

We are not subject to the food inspection part, but there are still laws and regulations that apply to lodging-only providers. Presumably, dropping the lodging licensing requirement wouldn't mean that those laws and regs no longer apply, just that there would no longer be inspectors going around to check-up on us to make sure we are in compliance. Is this really just the governor shirking his responsibility to enforce the existing laws that are on the books?
I don't think the licensing and inspections are all that big a deal, and it wouldn't effect us one way or another if they dropped it. But the lodging taxes, now that is a big deal. I would say that anyone who engages in a practice that results in their having to collect and remit lodging tax (in this state, that means renting out a room, apartment, cottage, etc... to transients for a total of more than 14 nights per year) should at least have to register... And that the governor should be devoting at least some resources to chasing down scofflaw tax cheats who are not collecting lodging taxes on the state's behalf!.

I think the gov just wants to deregulate everything. He doesn't really give two hoots about tourism anyway.
Did you get the email from the innkeepers association? I can send it along if you want. They are looking for commentary.

 

[GoodScout]

We are not subject to the food inspection part, but there are still laws and regulations that apply to lodging-only providers. Presumably, dropping the lodging licensing requirement wouldn't mean that those laws and regs no longer apply, just that there would no longer be inspectors going around to check-up on us to make sure we are in compliance. Is this really just the governor shirking his responsibility to enforce the existing laws that are on the books?
I don't think the licensing and inspections are all that big a deal, and it wouldn't effect us one way or another if they dropped it. But the lodging taxes, now that is a big deal. I would say that anyone who engages in a practice that results in their having to collect and remit lodging tax (in this state, that means renting out a room, apartment, cottage, etc... to transients for a total of more than 14 nights per year) should at least have to register... And that the governor should be devoting at least some resources to chasing down scofflaw tax cheats who are not collecting lodging taxes on the state's behalf!.

I think the gov just wants to deregulate everything. He doesn't really give two hoots about tourism anyway.
Did you get the email from the innkeepers association? I can send it along if you want. They are looking for commentary.
.

No offense, but everything I read about your governor convinces me that he's a raving idiot.

 

[OnTheShore]

We are not subject to the food inspection part, but there are still laws and regulations that apply to lodging-only providers. Presumably, dropping the lodging licensing requirement wouldn't mean that those laws and regs no longer apply, just that there would no longer be inspectors going around to check-up on us to make sure we are in compliance. Is this really just the governor shirking his responsibility to enforce the existing laws that are on the books?
I don't think the licensing and inspections are all that big a deal, and it wouldn't effect us one way or another if they dropped it. But the lodging taxes, now that is a big deal. I would say that anyone who engages in a practice that results in their having to collect and remit lodging tax (in this state, that means renting out a room, apartment, cottage, etc... to transients for a total of more than 14 nights per year) should at least have to register... And that the governor should be devoting at least some resources to chasing down scofflaw tax cheats who are not collecting lodging taxes on the state's behalf!.

I think the gov just wants to deregulate everything. He doesn't really give two hoots about tourism anyway.
Did you get the email from the innkeepers association? I can send it along if you want. They are looking for commentary.
.

Did you get the email from the innkeepers association? I can send it along if you want. They are looking for commentary.

Yes, I got it. Will have to think about what commentary I could contribute....

 

[EmptyNest]

Wait till he sees how much lower the tax revenues are. Then what will he do? SOunds like an idiot to me as well.

 

[undersea]

Here, all the major requirements of lodging seem to be localized.

 

[Copperhead]

Wait till he sees how much lower the tax revenues are. Then what will he do? SOunds like an idiot to me as well..

Wait till he sees how much lower the tax revenues are. Then what will he do? SOunds like an idiot to me as well.

That is exactly what I was thinking. That would be like sinking a boat load of money.

 

[Copperhead]

No reason to consider that here, 5 rooms or less are not regulated by the state anyhow, no state tax collected either (for this group).

It is all local, county/city regs.

 

[gillumhouse]

Hmmmm - I wonder if that would move me off the radar so I would not have to collect (and remit) sales tax. I also have to pay the State $25 by July 1 every year (I do not know what it would be if not sole prop, but know a balance sheet would be required otherwise since I was told that when I filed this year - power was down so they could not look me up at Capitol). I do not collect the lodging tax since my city did not enact the ordinance so I could - YEA!!.
All the inspections are County generated, including fees other than my city license.
All this to say, "How ignorant can politicians get?" PLEASE do not answer that.