Days after Normal adopted a tax for short-term rentals such as Airbnb, Bloomington plans to do the same.
The Bloomington City Council will vote next Monday on a proposed 6 percent tax to mirror the hotel-motel taxes that traditional hotels collect.
“The intention with this measure is to provide parity between these types of units and traditional hotels which currently pay hotel/motel taxes,” Bloomington Communication Manager Nora Dukowitz.
Dukowitz noted the tax would also create parity between the Twin Cities.
The head of the Bloomington-Normal Hotel and Lodging Associationtold Normal town council members this week online rental companies have had an unfair advantage.
The new tax would take effect April 1, 2019, pending council approval.
Dukowitz added city doesn't have an accounting of how many Airbnb’s there are in Bloomington, so it's not clear how much money the tax would generate.
According to the Airbnb.com, there are about 50 listings in Bloomington.
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