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2018 Georgia Code 48-13-50 | Car Wreck Lawyer

TITLE 48 REVENUE AND TAXATION

Section 13. Specific, Business, and Occupation Taxes, 48-13-1 through 48-13-133.

ARTICLE 3 EXCISE TAX ON ROOMS, LODGINGS, AND ACCOMMODATIONS

48-13-50. Purpose.

It is declared to be the purpose and intent of the General Assembly that:

  1. Each county and municipality in this state shall be authorized to levy certain excise taxes as hereinafter provided in this article; and
  2. Funds be made available for the purposes of promoting, attracting, stimulating, and developing conventions and tourism in the counties and municipalities and for the provision of other local government services.

(Ga. L. 1975, p. 1002, § 1; Code 1933, § 91A-6201, enacted by Ga. L. 1978, p. 309, § 2; Ga. L. 1989, p. 1, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1134, § 1.)

Law reviews.

- For article, "Online Travel Companies Find Issues with Hotels Extremely Taxing: Georgia's Hotel-Motel Occupancy Excise Tax and Expedia, Inc. v. City of Columbus, T.J. Evans," see 61 Mercer L. Rev. 1263 (2010).

JUDICIAL DECISIONS

Collection of taxes.

- Although online travel companies were not operators of hotels, the companies actually collected excise taxes from hotel guests, and thus the companies were required to remit those taxes to applicable Georgia cities and counties pursuant to O.C.G.A. §§ 48-13-50 and48-13-51. City of Rome v. Hotels.com, LP, F. Supp. 2d (N.D. Ga. May 8, 2006).

In a city's action wherein the city filed a complaint seeking a declaratory judgment, injunctive relief, and other equitable remedies against an online travel company, the trial court did not err by requiring the company to collect tax payment obligations under the Enabling Statute, O.C.G.A. § 48-13-50 et seq., and a city's ordinance via a permanent injunction. The company had contracted with the city to collect such taxes from the customers and was not an innkeeper; thus, the company was required to remit the taxes to the city. Expedia, Inc. v. City of Columbus, 285 Ga. 684, 681 S.E.2d 122 (2009).

In a city's action to recover unpaid occupancy taxes from several online travel companies pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 48-13-50 et seq., summary judgment for the companies was proper on the city's conversion claim because the city failed to show that the money sought comprised a specific, separate, identifiable fund that belonged to it. City of Atlanta v. Hotels.com, L.P., 332 Ga. App. 888, 775 S.E.2d 276 (2015).

Determination as to whether tax applied to online travel company had to be determined first.

- Trial court erred by dismissing a city's declaratory judgment action against several online travel companies for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, and the appellate court erred by affirming the dismissal as the issue of whether the city's ordinance allowing the city to collect a hotel occupancy tax from the online travel companies was a contested issue in the matter that neither lower court had determined. The legal question of whether the ordinance even applied to the online travel companies had to be determined before the city was required to submit to the administrative process set forth within the ordinance and the enabling statutes, O.C.G.A. § 48-13-50 et seq. City of Atlanta v. Hotels.com, L.P., 285 Ga. 231, 674 S.E.2d 898 (2009).

Constructive trust.

- In a city's action to recover unpaid occupancy taxes from several online travel companies pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 48-13-50 et seq., summary judgment for the companies was proper on the city's breach of constructive trust claim under O.C.G.A. § 53-12-132(a) because, under the law of the case, O.C.G.A. § 9-11-60(h), that claim had been rejected by the trial court and affirmed in a prior appeal. City of Atlanta v. Hotels.com, L.P., 332 Ga. App. 888, 775 S.E.2d 276 (2015).

Cited in Teachers Retirement Sys. v. City of Atlanta, 249 Ga. 196, 288 S.E.2d 200 (1982); City of Atlanta v. Hotels.com, 289 Ga. 323, 710 S.E.2d 766 (2011).

OPINIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

Imposition of tax by county and city.

- "Hotel-Motel Tax" may not be imposed by both a county and a city within the boundaries of the city. 1993 Op. Att'y Gen. No. U93-12.

RESEARCH REFERENCES

Am. Jur. 2d.

- 71 Am. Jur. 2d, State and Local Taxation, §§ 22, 23.

C.J.S.

- 84 C.J.S., Taxation, § 159 et seq.

Cases Citing Georgia Code 48-13-50 From Courtlistener.com

Total Results: 7

EFFICIENCY LODGE, INC. v. NEASON

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2023-06-21

Snippet: modations are regularly furnished for value.” OCGA § 48-13-50.2 (2) (A). And under OCGA § 48-8-2 (31) (B), the

City of Atlanta v. City of College Park

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2013-03-28

Citation: 292 Ga. 741, 741 S.E.2d 147, 2013 Fulton County D. Rep. 1338, 2013 Ga. LEXIS 316

Snippet: definition of “state authority” found in OCGA § 48-13-50.2 (5) (providing for an excise tax on certain

City of Atlanta v. HOTELS. COM.

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2011-05-16

Citation: 710 S.E.2d 766, 289 Ga. 323

Snippet: hotel occupancy taxes pursuant to OCGA *768 § 48-13-50 et seq., (the "Enabling Statute") which provides

Hotels.com, L.P. v. City of Columbus

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2009-10-05

Citation: 686 S.E.2d 91, 286 Ga. 130, 2009 Fulton County D. Rep. 3540, 2009 Ga. LEXIS 506

Snippet: excise taxes related to hotel stays. See OCGA § 48-13-50 et seq. (municipalities may impose excise tax

Expedia, Inc. v. City of Columbus

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2009-06-15

Citation: 681 S.E.2d 122, 285 Ga. 684, 2009 Fulton County D. Rep. 2013, 2009 Ga. LEXIS 315

Snippet: the funds to promote tourism pursuant to OCGA § 48-13-50 et seq. (the “Enabling Statute”). Specifically

City of Atlanta v. Hotels.com, L.P.

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2009-03-23

Citation: 674 S.E.2d 898, 285 Ga. 231, 9 Fulton County D. Rep. 1010, 2009 Ga. LEXIS 96

Snippet: services, the General Assembly enacted OCGA § 48-13-50 et seq. (the "Enabling Statutes"), authorizing

Youngblood v. State of Ga.

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 1990-02-15

Citation: 388 S.E.2d 671, 259 Ga. 864

Snippet: 1989 Ga. Laws 1 (codified as amended at OCGA §§ 48-13-50 to -53) is constitutional. The appeals involving