Montana
Another way to address high property taxes in Montana – Daily Montanan
I just read an editorial called “Let’s end the property tax blame game” by Kendall Cotton in which he begins by blaming local governments for property tax increases, echoing Gov. Greg Gianforte’s attack on greedy county governments.
For their part, Democrats are saying that the Gianforte administration ignored the advice of the Montana Department of Revenue to implement a revenue neutral tax rate. That’s the rate at which the state would have got the same amount of money after reappraisal as it had before. It was not advice; it was a number the DOR is required to provide by law. And to be fair, it doesn’t seem that any Democrat introduced a bill to change the tax rate, either. (In Montana the appraised value of a home is multiplied by a tax rate to get the taxable value, which is what the mill levies are applied to.)
If I wanted to blame anything I would pin it on COVID and the TV series “Yellowstone” each of which caused people with money and independence to flock to Montana and raise the price of homes in those areas that are not surrounded by flat land and have fancy restaurants.
Cotton’s editorial goes: “There is no such thing as a free lunch in government. The root cause of taxation is government spending.” So, the simple answer is to get rid of government—and police forces and courts and schools and health care and highways and everything that government does, because it is asked to do it. Lincoln put it well:
“The legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not, so well do, for themselves—in their separate, and individual capacities.”
No, Mr. Cotton, the root cause of taxation is the need to pay for services that the public demands their governments provide as expressed by their approval or disapproval of political policies at the ballot box. Not everyone is happy, but in a democracy, the majority rules.
So, OK, what to do?
The property tax is the oldest form of taxation because it was the easiest to figure out. If a guy in Babylon was sitting on 1,000 bushels (or cubic cubits or however they measured volume then) of wheat, the government knew what wheat was selling for and taxed it accordingly. A property tax is a tax on wealth, it is based on the value of what you own. It is the only tax that is heavily based on external market forces and not individual actions as are wages earned or purchases made. If you look at maps of property tax increases in Montana (the Montana Free Press has an excellent analysis complete with such maps: https://montanafreepress.org/2023/12/07/how-much-montana-property-taxes-are-rising/) you can see that it varies quite a bit from county to county. That’s why it is difficult to find a statewide solution.
Yes, there is a temporary tax rebate which some had a difficult time applying for. I didn’t. Renters couldn’t. But this is a political gimmick used by Democrats and Republicans alike that does little to fix the problem.
The answer to all this, given the complexities, is relatively simple, already exists, and is capable of being broadened. It is the Elderly Homeowner Renter Property Tax Rebate. It is based on the principle that homeowners or renters should not pay more than a certain percentage of their income on property tax. It is now restricted to households with a person over 65 years old, a coddled cadre of individuals who as a group are generally financially more better off than others because they have by that age paid off most of their debt. Their favorable opinion is sought by retailers and politicians alike because there are so many of them (OK, us).
It has the benefits of putting the relief where it is most needed, does not rob the local taxing jurisdictions of needed income, is administered and paid for by the state using state employees and state money. And, if expanded to all ages, is fair. At least two bills were introduced to do this by Democrats but never made it out of committee.
Maybe by the next legislative session it will look better, but I doubt it.
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 10, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 10 drawing
06-22-28-31, Bonus: 08
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 10 drawing
01-03-20-35-46, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
The Socorro Independent School District honored and celebrated its top two educators at the 2026 Teacher of the Year Gala on Friday, May 8 at the El Paso Convention Center.
Cristina Garcia, a fifth-grade teacher at Mission Ridge Elementary School, was recognized as the 2026 SISD Elementary Teacher of the Year. Javier Esparza, an audio and video broadcast teacher at Socorro High School, was named the 2026 SISD Secondary Teacher of the Year.
https://www.ktsm.com/news/socorro-isd-honors-top-2-teachers-at-gala-celebration/
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — A proposed high-voltage transmission project in far East El Paso is raising concerns among residents in the Montana Vista area, as developers work to determine a potential route that could impact private property.
The project, known as Pecos West, is being developed by Grid United and would create a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line connecting El Paso to southeastern New Mexico.
According to the company, the goal is to link major parts of the U.S. electric grid, specifically the Western and Eastern interconnections, allowing electricity to move in both directions between regions. Developers say the project could strengthen energy reliability, expand access to power markets, and help prevent outages during extreme weather.
Grid United also describes Pecos West as a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure investment that could bring jobs, tax revenue, and long-term economic benefits to communities along the route.
However, for residents in Montana Vista, the immediate concern is not the long-term benefits, but what the project could mean for their land.
At a community meeting Saturday morning, several residents were able to voice their concern, telling KFOX14/CBS4 they feel they have not received enough information about the project’s path or timeline, especially as discussions about a preliminary route continue.
“We haven’t got anything from you,” said Armando Rodriguez, president of the Montana Vista Landowners. “Not one quote.”
Others echoed concerns about communication, calling on the company to directly notify homeowners who may be affected.
“You need to go to these houses, give people information, and say this could affect you,” one resident said.
Grid United says the project is still in the planning and development phase, and no final route has been approved.
The company says construction would only begin after securing regulatory approvals and negotiating land agreements with property owners.
Company representatives also emphasized that landowner participation is voluntary.
“Pecos does not have eminent domain,” said Alexis Marquez, community relations manager for the project. “If a landowner does not want it on their property, we would look at alternate routes.”
Developers say outreach will continue as planning progresses, but residents are asking for more direct communication now, especially those who believe they could be directly impacted.
The project is not expected to be completed anytime soon, with Grid United estimating that Pecos West could become operational in the mid-2030s if approved.
For now, the conversation in Montana Vista reflects a familiar tension seen in large infrastructure project, balancing long-term regional benefits with local concerns about transparency, property, and community impact.
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