Rooney: Summer renters, owners getting burned until Murphy signs legislation

WAYNE, N.J. – With only five weeks left until Labor Day, Assemblyman Kevin Rooney urged Gov. Phil Murphy today to immediately sign legislation exempting homeowners from taxes on short-term rentals if they do not use online marketplaces like Airbnb.

“When you tack on 12 percent to the price of renting a shore house for a week, that will ruin a vacation,” said Rooney (R-Bergen).  “Families will look to Delaware or some other places where you get much more for your money next year if we don’t get this fixed.”

Both houses of the Legislature unanimously passed the bill in June. It exempts homeowners who rent directly to vacationers from last year’s Airbnb tax, which extended the 6.625 percent sales tax and the 5 percent hotel and motel occupancy fee to private rentals of less than 90 days.

The bill (A4814), which Rooney co-sponsors, has been sitting on Murphy’s desk since June 27.

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