The upcoming legislative session will see a wave of proposals to tackle the surge in property taxes. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte’s property tax task force finalized its recommendations this week, while legislative Democrats and the governor’s challenger in the fall election have also put forward their own plans.
Montanans have experienced a significant increase in the appraised value of their homes over the past two years, leading to a corresponding spike in property taxes, averaging a 21% statewide jump.
This increase in property taxes has spurred anger among Montanans, demanding solutions from lawmakers as the upcoming session in January approaches. There has been finger-pointing, with Gianforte attributing the blame to local county budgets, while commissioners argue that they are constrained by state limitations on levies. Minority Democrats claim that majority Republicans failed to pass impactful legislation, and Ryan Busse, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, accuses Republicans of not passing a bill to adjust tax rates for different property classes.
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Gianforte expressed support for a proposal from his property tax task force during its final meeting, focusing on a homestead and “comstead” exemption to reduce tax rates for primary residences, long-term rentals, and smaller commercial properties. However, this would lead to increased taxes for non-primary residences, short-term rentals, and larger commercial properties, as the state still needs to collect the same amount in property taxes.
