Port Royal to receive about $146,900 from multi-jurisdiction Airbnb settlement; platforms must remit taxes going forward

The Port Royal Town Council voted Feb. 12 to approve participation in a multi-jurisdiction settlement with short-term rental platforms including Airbnb, pending final signatures from all plaintiff jurisdictions.

David Barnes (S6), counsel for the plaintiffs, told the council forensic accounting produced an allocation that yields an expected Port Royal share of roughly $146,873 to cover past unpaid accommodation taxes and business license fees. "$146,873 will go once we collect, and that will go to y'all," Barnes said.

Barnes said the settlement also requires platforms to collect and remit accommodation taxes and business license fees going forward. He described the settlement as the product of discovery, forensic accounting and negotiations across 16 plaintiff jurisdictions; he said 14 jurisdictions have agreed so far and the remaining signatures are expected in the near term.

Council members asked whether the settlement released future claims; Barnes said the agreement addresses past collections and that jurisdictions retain auditing and enforcement recourse for future compliance. The mayor confirmed the council approved the settlement by voice vote after a motion and second.

Next steps: counsel said platforms must make payment within 30 days of the agreement terms; final distribution to participating jurisdictions will follow receipt and allocation of funds.