News Category: 2023 Montana Legislature and Politics

Why Housing Reform Worked in Montana

A unique mix of environmentalism and individualism helped this rural state build a coalition around pro-housing bills. Could the approach succeed elsewhere?

Growth in Great Falls means property taxes will be lower

At Tuesday’s meeting, city officials made it a point to inform taxpayers that while the appraised taxable value of their home or business may have gone up, the property taxes they will be expected to pay in the coming year will not rise at the same level. Instead, city officials have chosen to reduce the number of property tax mills assessed on privately owned property within city limits.

How Our Property Tax System Robs the Poor to Pay the Wealthy

Discover the shocking truth about a secret racket in America that’s been hiding in plain sight for years; High-value homes are escaping their fair share of property taxes, burdening less wealthy neighbors and straining city budgets. Join us as we unveil the reverse Robin Hood grift that’s affecting communities across the United States.

Missoula Redevelopment Agency unveils makings of workforce housing program

A program looking to create workforce housing in Missoula under new state guidelines is hoping to launch a pilot phase this year, where city officials will test the recommendations against real-world projects and make adjustments down the road.

Montana counties challenge interpretation of state’s property tax laws

“Now looking into it, they’ve been doing it wrong, in my opinion, for 20 years,” he said. “This extreme on property reassessment brings it into focus.”

Draft TikTok Security Deal Would Have Given Government Unprecedented Control

The agreement TikTok was negotiating with the federal government in order to avoid a ban in the United States could have given the federal government almost unlimited access to and wide-ranging oversight over TikTok’s internal workings, according to a draft copy of the agreement reported by Forbes.

Former Montana revenue director says property tax system ‘rigged,’ ‘broken’

Homeowners and renters in Montana are about to experience the largest property tax increase in history — and it’s by design, said Dan Bucks, former head of the Montana Department of Revenue.

Proposed ballot measure would strip Supreme Court’s ability to determine who can become a lawyer in Montana

A 12-year-old homeschooler from Red Lodge wants to make it possible for people to become lawyers without going to law school. The Montana Bar Association says that’s unconstitutional.

States siphoned away $750 million in infrastructure law climate funds

Last year, 38 states made use of a provision in the law to shift about $755 million to general-purpose highway construction accounts, according to Federal Highway Administration records. The sum is more than one-quarter of the total annual amount made available to states in two new climate-related programs.

Greg Gianforte: Delivering income and property tax relief for Montanans

To ease the property tax burden, we must reform our system and bring greater transparency, accountability, and responsibility to local spending. I’m committed to getting it done.