The upcoming legislative session will see a flurry of proposals aimed at addressing the surge in property taxes. Following the finalization of recommendations by Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte’s property tax task force this week, legislative Democrats have introduced their own plans, and the governor’s challenger in the upcoming election has put forward his own proposal.
Over the past two years, Montanans have witnessed a significant increase in the appraised value of their homes, leading to a corresponding spike in property taxes, with an average statewide increase of 21%.
This has stirred anger across Montana and prompted demands for solutions from lawmakers in the upcoming session starting in January. There has also been a fair amount of blame-shifting, with Gianforte attributing the issue to local county budgets, while commissioners argue that they are constrained by state limitations on what they can levy. Minority Democrats accuse majority Republicans of failing to pass any substantial legislation, while Ryan Busse, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, blames Republicans for not passing a bill to modify the taxation rates of different property classes.
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