New property tax bill- Holy CRAP!!

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by Shuffler

Ruis has multiple projects going around here, is based out of CA, and there's been speculation on where he's getting all this money. Ties to Mexican cartels & money laundering has been heard through the rumor mill. I guess when I think about it, that makes sense given we have no borders right now and cartels operate freely all over America.

Montana is one of the current targets, largely because we have a lot of reservation land:

https://naturalresources.house.gov/u....10.24_v.2.pdf

Originally Posted by Shuffler

- An out of State group wants to build a >1000ac 'luxury resort' in Lakeside

- Kalispell just approved a >300 unit development northwest of town despite very vocal opposition with legitimate concerns regarding impacts to schools, traffic, water supply, etc.

- The County planning board is revisiting another huge development in Somers next month ... this likely means they've already got plans to approve it despite nearly complete opposition.

So long as local gov't salivates over the prospect of thereby-vastly-increased property taxes (over the paltry tax value of undeveloped land) this is going to continue. And in today's political climate, no one can turn down "housing" nor the chance to "spread the taxes to someone else".

[Wytempest]

Originally Posted by Reziac

So long as local gov't salivates over the prospect of thereby-vastly-increased property taxes (over the paltry tax value of undeveloped land) this is going to continue. And in today's political climate, no one can turn down "housing" nor the chance to "spread the taxes to someone else".

I just don't get it! Our Wyoming rino legislators just passed a record budget, 30% higher. I just don't understand why there can't be a few conservative states. Like Wyoming, Montana, Alaska. Why are they so hell bent on being just like every other cesspool state?

We moved to Wyoming 30 yrs ago when Wyoming was conservative. If it were then like it is today, we'd be calling Alaska home!

[Shuffler]

Lived in Laramie from '88 - '92 for college. Far different town back then ... had some great times!

Population was around 12k, and that doubled when college was in session.

I hardly recognize the place anymore, other than its common landmarks.

I think my rent was $160/mo for a nice 2BR/1BA basement apartment. Poked around their county website and learned that the daughter of my then-landlord owns a couple dozen properties all over town.

I bet her property taxes have skyrocketed right along with her property values.

There is no escape.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by Reziac

Montana is one of the current targets, largely because we have a lot of reservation land:

https://naturalresources.house.gov/u....10.24_v.2.pdf




So long as local gov't salivates over the prospect of thereby-vastly-increased property taxes (over the paltry tax value of undeveloped land) this is going to continue. And in today's political climate, no one can turn down "housing" nor the chance to "spread the taxes to someone else".

It's not so much the property taxes increases (although they can be significant in many cases) but the ancillary revenue streams.

You get high dollar development then that will likely mean more stores, restaurants, etc. which means higher sales tax revenue. Then add all the employees at those new businesses have and you're talking increased state income taxes. Some of the people in the high dollar housing become permanent residents and add their state income taxes to the mix. More permanent residents means more doctors, lawyers and other services, which means even more income and other taxes. There are a lot of moving parts.

[Threerun]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

It's not so much the property taxes increases (although they can be significant in many cases) but the ancillary revenue streams.

You get high dollar development then that will likely mean more stores, restaurants, etc. which means higher sales tax revenue. Then add all the employees at those new businesses have and you're talking increased state income taxes. Some of the people in the high dollar housing become permanent residents and add their state income taxes to the mix. More permanent residents means more doctors, lawyers and other services, which means even more income and other taxes. There are a lot of moving parts.

No sales tax in Montana. Study on newer residents show a lot of their income comes from investments, which are disproportionally taxed lower than other forms of revenue. Pretty much the burden lies on homeowners and wage earners.

[Baby B]

https://montanafreepress.org/2024/04...-is-declining/

[Threerun]

Just got our corrected property tax statement. There were a number of counties that disputed the calculation method on number of mils applied. The county assessed 79.2 mills based on their understanding of the school equalization formula however the MT Supreme Court overruled counties and made them adhere to the Dept. of Revenues mill levy calculation of 96.5 mills.

So yay me I get to send the state an additional $2,379 for property tax.

[Shuffler]

We were thinking about a slip somewhere on the Flathead ... but that market is just as ridiculous as housing.

Those assessments more than doubled ... one of them was +197%.

Happy to let the 'greater fools' buy during all-time highs in this market.

Also voted 'No' on our ballots for the latest school mill levy increases. Something needs to give here, and soon.

[Threerun]

We voted 'no' on the 5 levies' for school related matters as well.

They need get this squared away. They're collecting 40-50% more in property taxes from us vs. 2 years ago. The formula needs to be reworked. The current state legislature didn't even bother with it this past session.

There is a gal running for state legislature and read her 2 main points- She worked for Dept. of Revenue and said the current system is broke and she vows to be in the fight to fix it and she is HUGE on open lands. She has my vote and I didn't even look at her party affiliation.

[Threerun]

https://montanafreepress.org/2023/09...%20tax%20bills.

Republican state Sen. Brad Molnar filed a lawsuit against the Montana Department of Revenue Tuesday, alleging that the agency has misinterpreted state law in a way that will result in property owners across Montana being overcharged on their tax bills.

The suit, filed in Yellowstone County District Court in Billings and assigned to Judge Jessica Fehr, says Molnar will be harmed by the way the revenue department has produced tax calculations passed onto county treasurers. Molnar and his attorney, former Republican lawmaker Matt Monforton, are seeking class-action status so they can litigate the issue on behalf of taxpayers across the state.

The lawsuit’s critique parallels an argument made by several county governments, which formally asked Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen last month for a legal opinion backing their interpretation of the state’s somewhat convoluted property tax law.

Gianforte’s office and education groups have responded by arguing that the interpretation advanced by county officials would jeopardize school funding by upending how property taxes have been calculated for decades.

Two GOP guys filing a class action against GOP supermajority held Montana legislature and GOV office and the dept. of Revenue.

What isn't discussed in the article is that the state keeps tax collections in excess of the required mills thus padding a surplus. And with the GOP led business tax perks come at a cost and the excess residential tax collected keeps the state in the black- all on the backs of residential property owners. We now pay a disproportionate level of tax in the state. Old Gov Schweitzer and other folks were pounding the same drums in 2022-2023 that this was going to happen.

If they don't get this formula fixed we're definitely leaving Montana before we retire. There's no way in hell in my little slice of Montana and my abode is worth paying $10,000+ a year in property tax.