MISSOULA — The Montana legislative session only comes once every two years and a lot needs to get done within those 90 days.
For City of Missoula officials, there is a lot that they are watching this session as legislation enacted at a state level could directly impact Missoula and its residents.
“We're always looking out for what do we need to be supportive of. What do we need to defend? So what do we need to play offense and what do we need to play defense?” said Missoula Mayor Andrea Davis.
The City of Missoula is concentrating on three issues this session: property taxes, behavioral health and legislation around managing growth.
“We're dealing mostly with property taxes and property tax reform. I mean, we know how important [the] cost of living and economic issues are. And it's twofold for us as a city and as a municipality. We're very concerned about the growing cost of living for our residents and our constituents here in Missoula,” explained Davis.
Property taxes and property tax reform could impact an important area for the city — tax increment financing.
“Tax increment financing is one of our local tools for revitalization. When we can concentrate tax, when we can utilize that program and build a tax base up through the use of urban renewal districts and tax increment financing, then we can basically concentrate dollars on much needed infrastructure improvements,” said Davis.
Both property taxes and tax increment financing are vital to managing Missoula's growth according to Mayor Davis. This is because the city uses these sources of revenue to fund vital infrastructure.
The City of Missoula is also focused on supporting legislation that could provide assistance to some of Missoula’s most vulnerable residents, mainly those who are homeless or unhoused.
“We're also concerned about funding for behavioral health. In Missoula, this is an issue across the state, [an] issue across the country. It is a compounding issue in Missoula. We have felt the effects since 2017 when the state of Montana sharply cut case management,” said Davis.
A large part of behavioral health funding comes from Medicaid, something that the state legislature is tackling this session.
“I will tell you that, for example, Medicaid expansion is an absolute must. We need to see that we need people to maintain their health coverage,” Davis told MTN.
Besides property tax reform, tax increment financing and behavioral health funding, city officials say they’re looking to defend their authority and autonomy to make decisions at a local government level.
