Court backs rental platforms in Florida tax dispute

Calling the companies “simply conduits,” a divided appeals court Wednesday said Airbnb and similar vacation-rental platforms are not required to collect and send in county tourist-development taxes. A panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal, in a 2-1 decision, upheld a circuit judge’s ruling in favor of Airbnb, Tripadvisor and HomeAway in a battle with Palm Beach County Tax Collector Anne Gannon over collection of the so-called “bed taxes.” Counties have the option to impose bed taxes…