According to a study that Airbnb commissioned and publicized late last year, its hosts in San Francisco collect $12.7 million from their guests every year. That means that if the company was charging the 14 percent Transient Occupancy Tax – as the Tax Collector’s Office last year ruled that it must – it would be paying the city nearly $1.8 million annually. [Jones/SFBG]

“Does Mayor Lee support Airbnb dodging its $1.8 million tax debt to SF?” That’s what the SFBG is wondering, in a follow up to its report on the hotel taxes the Guardian believes the locally-based lodging company isn’t paying.

If you’re wondering the same thing, they include a handy note concerned citizens can cut, paste, and send to two of Lee’s spokespeople and an Airbnb rep. Happy emailing!

the author

Eve Batey is the editor and publisher of the San Francisco Appeal. She used to be the San Francisco Chronicle's Deputy Managing Editor for Online, and started at the Chronicle as their blogging and interactive editor. Before that, she was a co-founding writer and the lead editor of SFist. She's been in the city since 1997, presently living in the Outer Sunset with her husband, cat, and dog. You can reach Eve at eve@sfappeal.com.

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