MISSOULA — While Missoula County eyes a small tax increase to funds its FY 25 budget, on Thursday, it will also consider asking voters to levy additional mills to pay for ongoing costs and expenses of maintaining public roads, bridges and trails.
Last week, county officials unveiled their proposed $80.4 million budget, which marks a 3% increase over last year. Officials said they plan to keep any budgetary increases under the current rate of inflation of 3.4%.
But the county is also seeking additional funds to pay for roads and other public infrastructure, and it may ask voters to foot the bill.
“(Commissioners) have determined that the county's current mill levy authority is inadequate to pay costs and expenses of constructing, maintaining, repairing and improving public roads, bridges, and trails in the county,” the county's resolution states.
Given that deficiency, the county is looking to levy up to five mills per year to raise around $1.7 million annually.
“It's in the best interest of the county to seek authority for a permanent mill levy increase to pay costs and expenses of public roads, bridges and trails in the county that the county is charged with maintaining, constructing, repairing and improving by presenting to the voters a mill levy question,” the county stated.
According to the county, the levy would increase property taxes on a home with an assessed value of $300,000 by $20.25 a year. A home with an assessed value of $600,000 would pay an additional $40.50 per year.
While the county presented its budget last week, it did not include new revenue or the state's new taxable values. Until those figures come in, the county's budget isn't final and it could be adjusted up or down, officials have said.
The city on Monday will also reveal its proposed budget and propose levying additional mills to cover expenses. Some of that may include the road and park districts. Funding from those two districts may be used to cover the estimated $1 million cost of the city's new ordinance on urban camping.
