January 25, 2017
Legislation with powerful support would cement local government’s ability to regulate online home rentals and hit those who don’t register or pay local taxes with large fines. The bills, and a budget amendment, amount to legislative escalation in an ongoing fight involving property rights, fair taxation and the way internet culture is changing tourism. The rise of Airbnb.com, which lets people rent their homes or just a room online, has left elected officials struggling to find a compromise. Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. “Tommy” Norment, whose James City County district relies on tourism, has been front-and-center in the battle, blocking legislation backed last year by Airbnb, the best known, but not the only, online platform for short-term home rentals…
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