by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
The Tourist Development Council wants to be sure that those planning to rent their homes during the Super Bowl are aware of all of the taxes they have to pay.
Specifically, they said, a 6 percent “bed tax.”
That tax will be applied to every rental home, whether enrolled in a Super Bowl Host Committee planned program or not.
In April, TDC chair Lad Daniels said it was likely that few knew anything about the tax.
“That was one of the concerns we had come up with recently,” he said. “People want to line up and put their homes up for rent and make a quick buck.
“We still hope people can make a quick buck on this, but we want them to pay their taxes, too.”
City Council auditors said the tax “goes hand-in-glove” with any rental property occupied less than six months.
That includes every rental home and the cruise ships, which will serve temporarily as “floating hotels” downtown.
“This kind of tax is not any different than what a hotel has to pay all the time,” said auditor Janice Billy. “Six percent may not sound like a lot, but it does add up.”
Billy and auditor Kirk Sherman said bed tax revenue in Duval County, about $12 million based on current accommodations, is equally distributed among the TDC, Alltel Stadium and the Osborn Center.
“It really is an incredible amount of money that’s strictly based on lodging,” said Sherman.
Host Committee representative appeared before the TDC last week to insure that the appropriate steps are being taken.
Pat Duncan, who oversees much of the Super Bowl lodging and accommodations, said a link to the property appraisers’s website has already been added to the Host Committee website.
“It’s all right there,” he said. “I know there has been concern that people won’t be properly informed, but we hope this takes care that.
“It is against the law to not pay that tax.”
Duncan added that anyone enrolled in the Host Committee rental program — they register through realtor Coldwell Banker — will have all of their tax obligations addressed once they have a signed contract.