ALBANY- Governor Kathy Hochul has signed three local laws sponsored by Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson (D, Newburgh) that authorize local governments to collect a hotel, motel, and bed and breakfast tax. Two of the new laws authorize the cities of Beacon and Poughkeepsie to collect a new tax for overnight stays and a third law allows for the extension of the Town of Newburgh’s bed tax.
The new laws permit a tax of up to five percent and would apply to Airbnbs as well.
“I thank Governor Hochul for signing these three bills that respectively allow the cities of Beacon and Poughkeepsie and the Town of Newburgh to offset the costs of supporting Airbnbs and other overnight hospitality businesses,” said Jacobson.
“For many years, the Town of Newburgh had asked their prior state representatives to pass this legislation. Three years ago, Senator Skoufis and I were able to get the bill passed, enabling the Town to finally collect this much-needed tax,” added Jacobson.
With an increase in Airbnb properties in the region, Jacobson believes these new revenue streams are important to help offset costs incurred by local governments as a result of their operation.
“Airbnbs are popping up across the Hudson Valley and the costs of supporting them should not fall on residents. The benefit of this tax is that it is almost exclusively paid by visitors to the area,” Jacobson concluded.
