Commission approves $9,697 refund to Airbnb host after double-collection review

The Morgan County Commission approved a refund of $9,697 to a local short-term-rental operator who said she had been charged lodging taxes twice—once by the online platform and once when she collected and remitted the tax herself.

The host, identified in the meeting record as Miss Boughton, requested the reimbursement and provided Airbnb receipts. Chair summarized that the county is authorized to refund up to two years and staff confirmed receipts showing $9,706 remitted directly by the host over the past two years. Commissioner [speaker 2] said he wanted to be sure the materials prove double collection; staff acknowledged limits because Airbnb does not automatically provide full geolocated remittance data to the county.

Despite questions about definitively proving double collection for every property listed, commissioners concluded the request appeared legitimate for the two-year period staff had reviewed and approved the motion to refund the two-year amount. The motion to approve the two-year refund carried by voice vote.

Officials noted the episode highlights an ongoing data gap: the county would benefit from automated remittance and geolocation data from platforms so staff can verify collections and ensure proper tax classification. Staff said they will continue efforts to obtain clearer platform reporting.