Short Term Rental Units In County To Be Taxed

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times.

RANDOLPH, Utah. February 5. 2014, Kim Wilson, Assessor, noted that House Bill 67 requires that residential exception for personal property on long term furnished rentals can be granted a 45 percent reduction on taxes for that property.  Household furnishings are exempt from taxes if they are used exclusively by the owners living in the home.  However, furnishings become taxable if there is not exclusive use which means short term rentals must be taxed for all furnishings above $10,000.  A list of all furnishings along with their purchase cost and purchase date must be created and submitted to the County in determining current value. 

Kim Wilson and Geo Peart have been looking into the short term rental issues.  They reported that there are over 300 short term rentals on the west side of Bear Lake.  Transient taxes need to be collected on these businesses.  Garden City has a list of most of the short term rentals within the city limits which they have shared with the County, but those short term rentals in the County need to be listed and treated in a similar manner to Garden City’s current practice.   

Peart noted that instead of issuing a short term rental license, a conditional use permit would allow for easier tracking and would let neighbors next to the short term rental business know what is happening in their neighborhoods.  Peart noted that there will be an increase in paperwork at the county which will perhaps require additional manpower.

The Commissioners noted that they need to do something soon and will work on this problem.  They will make contact with the County Attorney and get some advice on this matter from him.  They also asked to Wilson to begin work on the personal property area.