Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJuly 26, 2016

Support for Airbnb continues to grow. New research released Tuesday shows 67 percent of Americans said they supported a sharing economy. That support grew to 74 percent among millennials, typically people between the ages of 18 and 34 years old. That support for a sharing economy bodes well for Airbnb, which found 50 percent of […]

Scott PowersJuly 20, 2016

The home-sharing tourism company Airbnb reported Tuesday morning that its service arranged for 754,000 visitors to stay in 16,100 private homes in Florida in 2015. The most popular place for the home-based lodging program was the Miami-Fort Lauderdale market, which accounted for almost half of all the private homes participating and more than half of the visitors. […]

Lloyd DunkelbergerJuly 18, 2016

Tallahassee’s decision to become the first Florida city to eliminate the business license tax will open up the state capital to more economic opportunities and help develop innovative companies like Airbnb, Mayor Andrew Gillum said. Gillum and the city commission voted unanimously last week to eliminate the business license tax — paid by about 12,000 businesses […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJuly 5, 2016

Tomas Martinelli is leaving his post at the Florida Department of Transportation and joining the team at Airbnb. Martinelli announced his move in an email Sunday. “As you may know, the people-powered platform and the culture that steers Airbnb makes this opportunity/project an exciting one,” he said. “Although, it wasn’t easy leaving the best agency in […]

Ryan RayMay 25, 2016

The American Hotel and Lodging Association says Airbnb “landlords” raked in some $76 million on grey or black market transactions last year in Miami alone. The group released the results of a new study on a conference call with reporters Tuesday, which looked at 14 major markets’ activity in the short-term rental sector, led by […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterApril 15, 2016

Four more Florida counties have worked out agreements with Airbnb to allow the company to collect and remit hotel and tourist taxes. In April, Airbnb began collecting the taxes in Lee, Orange and Brevard counties. The company will start collecting taxes in Hernando County on May 1. “Our community — the vast majority of whom […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 14, 2016

The sharing economy is here to stay and is no doubt flourishing. From Airbnb to ridesharing, it is an exciting time for consumers as new products and services continue to enter the marketplace. Transportation Network Companies (TNCs), such as Uber and Lyft, brought a new way of getting around town not just in Florida, but […]

Ryan RayNovember 24, 2015

“Founder,” “CEO,” “President,” and “Chairman” are all familiar lines on the business cards of today’s startup whiz kids but increasingly, writes Cecilia Kang of The New York Times, they might as well be adding another: “In-House Lobbyist.” As the success of innovators continues to ultimately rely on the decisions of older-school lawmakers and regulators overseeing novel […]

Mitch PerryNovember 18, 2015

I love how political candidates, instead of saying they’re quitting a race, instead say they’re “suspending it” — as if they can freeze it cryogenically, and then bring it reheat it back in time for to run in New Hampshire. That’s what Bobby Jindal did, yesterday, suspending his moribund presidential campaign, where he never got […]

Mitch PerryNovember 18, 2015

The growth of vacation rental website Airbnb has exploded in Florida (as it has across the nation) in recent years, but it’s also alienated local government officials because its unlicensed vacation rentals have escaped being hit with sales or tourist development taxes. That will soon change. The San Francisco based tech-company that allows people to rent out […]

Tag: Airbnb

New survey shows 73% of Americans support Airbnb operating in their community

Airbnb reports 16,000 Florida homes rented for 750K visitors

By eliminating business license tax, Tallahassee lays out welcome mat for Airbnb

Personnel note: Tomas Martinelli headed to Airbnb

Hotels group says Airbnb reaping millions in illegal South Florida revenue

Airbnb collecting hotel, tourist taxes in more Florida counties

Logan McFaddin: Sharing economy needs reasonable insurance laws

For many startups, innovating and lobbying now go hand in hand

Mitch Perry Report for 11.18.15 — So long Bobby Jindal, we hardly . Wait. We knew you very well.

Airbnb to start collecting Florida tourist taxes beginning Dec. 1