The upcoming legislative session will see numerous proposals aimed at addressing the surge in property taxes. With the finalization of recommendations by Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte’s property tax task force this week, legislative Democrats have also put forward their own plans, with the governor’s challenger in the fall election offering a separate pitch.
Over the past two years, Montanans have experienced a significant rise in the assessed value of their homes, leading to a corresponding increase in property taxes, averaging a statewide jump of 21%.
This has sparked outrage across Montana, prompting demands for solutions from lawmakers in the upcoming session starting in January. There has been a fair amount of blame-shifting, as Gianforte attributed the increase to local county budgets, countered by commissioners who cite constraints imposed by the state on their levying abilities. Minority Democrats argue that majority Republicans failed to pass substantial legislation, while Ryan Busse, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, faulted Republicans for not passing a bill to adjust the tax rates for different property classes.
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During the final meeting of his property tax task force, Gianforte threw his support behind one of the group’s proposals — a homestead and “comstead” exemption designed to lower the tax burden on primary residences, long-term rentals, and smaller commercial properties. However, this would mean increased taxes for non-primary residences, short-term rentals like Airbnbs, and larger commercial properties to compensate for the state’s property tax collection needs. The meeting coincided with the start of Montana homeowners applying for property tax rebates from the previous legislative session.
