A true story: Airbnb was inspired by the experience of friends Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia, who couldn’t afford the rent on their apartment in San Francisco. So they put an air mattress on their living room floor for paying guests who were out of luck booking a hotel during a popular design conference.
That was in 2007 and the next year a website was created for others who offered short-term rentals in their homes.
Twelve years later, Airbnb is an international business with six million listings worldwide.
And many of those listings are in Western Massachusetts.
In December, the state approved charging and occupancy tax of 5.7 percent for short-term rentals — the same as it charges hotels. That tax, which state officials anticipate will generate $28 million, kicked in this month.
Frankly, we are amazed the state waited this long to start charging an occupancy tax — and for communities to do the same. We say it was long overdue.
Check out the Western Massachusetts rentals advertised on Airbnb’s website. Among them, property owners say people can stay minutes from the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls or in an apartment at the base of a ski mountain in Charlemont or in an artsy pine cabin the woods of Warwick.
The living spaces include homes, apartments, rooms in houses, sheds and yurts.
The state permits cities and towns to add their own tax for up to 6 percent. In Franklin County, seven towns and Greenfield have already approved such a tax. The other 18 communities would have to get Town Meeting approval to do the same.
We say those towns should get on board and institute a local tax. Many of our smaller communities are struggling financially, and here would be a new source of revenue.
By renting out their home, a portion of their home or an outbuilding, people are operating a business. At any rate, a local tax, as well as the state’s, would be passed on to those who are visiting the area on vacation or business.
Many visitors seek out Airbnb rentals to immerse themselves in an area’s charm and typically for a reasonable price.
Why shouldn’t communities benefit from what it has to offer visitors?
Getting a job at the state level shouldn’t amount to who you know.
That’s why we are pleased Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, has filed a bill that would require all positions on the state job board — managerial and otherwise — be posted online.
Comerford is following the lead of Thomas McGee, a Hadley resident who has been pushing for such transparency for 24 years. Unfortunately, previous bills just died in committee.
The bill’s aim is to expand the pool of qualified candidates and improve hiring practices that appear to rely on internal promotions and word of mouth.
“For some jobs, it seems like people have the inside track and know about job openings before others,” Brian Rosman, Comerford’s legislative director, said.
Of course, this bill has a ways to go via various committees. Perhaps it will suffer the fate of previous attempts.
We hope not.
We are in favor of an open government. And improving the hiring process would be a part of that.