MISSOULA — With the Legislature set to convene in four months, Missoula County has opted to take a “wait and see” approach before asking voters to consider a levy to fund bridge and road maintenance.
Commissioners on Thursday officially pulled the levy from the ballot, making good on a promise they made earlier in the week. Now, all eyes will fall to the Legislature in hopes that it tackles property tax reform and makes real changes to the system.
“If the Legislature comes through and does create real property tax reform, it makes space for us to fund things like roads and bridges without asking voters to make this difficult decision,” said Commissioner Josh Slotnick. “If the Legislature comes through on creating real reform, we may not have to ask voters.”
Gov. Greg Gianforte earlier this year assembled a task force to study and recommend changes to Montana's property tax system. The group has released a number of recommendations, including a homestead exemption that could cut taxes by 15% for many homeowners.
Commissioners remain hopeful that the Legislature will also consider tax changes that would tap into other revenue sources and relieve homeowners of funding the bulk of local services.
“We saw with the property tax task force in their final recommendations include yet another piece of a larger conversation around property tax reform that's absolutely a statewide issue,” he said. “There has never been this much enthusiasm around property tax reform. The Legislature has promised to take this on.”
Earlier this month, commissioners announced plans to placethe transportation levy on the ballot for voters to consider, saying the funding – roughly $1.7 million annually – would go to road and bridge maintenance.
But now that the property tax task force has released its recommendations, commissioners have opted to hold off on the levy, hoping the next session of the Legislature will result in real reform.
“We're going to press pause. We may not need to do this,” Slotnick said. “If they don't, we'll revisit it. But right now the prudent thing to do is wait.”
