Any tax required to be paid by any transient under the provisions of this article shall be deemed a debt owed by the transient to the City. Any such tax collected by an operator which has not been paid to the City shall be deemed a debt owed by the operator to the City. Any person owing money to the City under the provisions of this article shall be liable to an action brought in the name of the City for the recovery of such amount. Any operator who undertakes legal action to recover unpaid rent due from a transient may include the amount of tax due from the transient in the amount sought to be recovered.