In practice, taxes on short-term rentals are typically passed on to the guest as part of the total booking cost. Short-term rentals in Washington state are being targeted for funds that would help pay for affordable housing across the state. (Airbnb Photo)Opponents rallied at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia on Tuesday to voice their displeasure for a bill being considered by the legislature that would impose a 6% tax on short-term rental bookings across the state to help communities fund affordable housing.The action was organized by vacation rental giant Airbnb in coordination with Washington Hosts Collaborative Alliance (WHCA), an Airbnb-backed and host-led organization that says it’s dedicated to “fair, common-sense regulation” of short-term rentals.San Francisco-based Airbnb recently launched a new political action committee in Washington called Airbnb Helps Our State Thrive (HOST) PAC. The PAC’s intent is to advocate for residents and communities who rely on home sharing and would be negatively impacted by a new tax. Flush with $1 million, the PAC took out a full-page ad in The Seattle Times Tuesday advising Washingtonians to “say no to the vacation tax.” A companion website asks people to sign up for related updates.“We support policies to help boost housing supply across the state, but a tax that creates an unfair competitive disadvantage for Washingtonians who share their home to make ends meet is not the right approach,” the PAC said in a statement to GeekWire. “We welcome the opportunity to work with lawmakers on other legislative efforts that help bolster affordable housing supply in Washington.”Washington Sen. Liz Lovelett, D-40

San Francisco-based Airbnb recently launched a new political action committee in Washington called Airbnb Helps Our State Thrive (HOST) PAC.