Republican State Chairman Doug Steinhardt think that Gov. Phil Murphy should pay back and mom and pop shore rental tax revenues now that he’s agreed to end the contentious 11.6% tax on rentals.
“Governor Murphy has admitted he made a mistake, but now it’s time to rectify that mistake. He must refund the money to the mom and pops who were forced to pay his shore rental tax this summer,” Steinhardt said. Otherwise, it’s safe to assume it was intentional, and another democratic money grab no different than when Murphy tried to steal $33M from the firemen’s burial and hardship fund. Here’s the Governor’s chance to put his money where his mouth is, or better yet, back in the wallets of the moms and pops he took it from.”
The tax applied to short-term rentals lasting less than 90 days and was initially expected to affect online property rentals, like AirBnB. It became controversial when it became clear that New Jerseyans who rented their shore homes for short periods of time would also be affected.
Murphy said Thursday that he will sign a bill that repeals the tax. The bill was sponsored by three Democratic shore legislators: State Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Long Branch), Assemblywoman Joanne Downey (D-Freehold) and Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling (D-Neptune).