Montana

The governor and the legislature raised your home's taxes at the fastest rate in history • Daily Montanan

Published

1 year ago

September 7, 2024

The governor and the legislature raised your home's taxes at the fastest rate in history • Daily Montanan

During the last 36 years, the Montana Department of Revenue has helped the governors prepare a balanced budget before the Legislature arrives. Montana’s Govs. Marc Racicot, Judy Martz, Brian Schweitzer and Steve Bullock knew that the Montana Constitution requires a balanced budget. The budget cannot spend more money than comes in from taxes and other sources.

In each of those years, the governor was given the most recent property appraisals to help calculate the property taxes that would be collected to balance the budget. In almost all of those years, the value of properties (including houses) had increased — sometimes by a little, sometimes by a lot.

Governors — Republican and Democrat — were formerly advised by Revenue Department experts that unless the property tax rate was adjusted downward by the Governor and Legislature, property taxes (residential taxes are 60 percent of the total) would increase. For 36 years, those governors listened to the recommendation and they adjusted — cut — the rate so homeowners would NOT get tax increases.

I know about these things, because as your governor for eight years, I did not raise one tax or fee on anything… property, income, booze,… nothing!

Gov. Greg Gianforte was advised by his Revenue Department in November 2022 that the rate for the coming two years would have to be cut from 1.35% to 0.94% to ensure that homeowners would not see huge tax increases. He chose, and the Legislature agreed, not to adjust the rate, and homeowners have had their taxes increase at the fastest rate in history. This new taxation increased revenue collected by the Montana state budget by more than $500 million during two years. Taxes increased for most homes in Montana.

Montana has never had more elected Republicans than we do today. Republicans control all the branches of government. These tax increases were placed on your shoulders without the help or consent of any Democrat. The Montana Republican Party is now the party of higher taxes and more government spending.

Housing costs will continue to increase across Montana because of the tax hike. Rents will increase for renters because property owners will pass the tax increases along to tenants.

Because of COVID concerns about a downturn in the economy, the Trump and Biden administrations poured money into all 50 state budgets. When Gianforte prepared the state budget, he had the largest budget surplus — $2.6 billion — in history. All 50 states also had historic surpluses.

So who got the money?

No funding increases for education or healthcare. No help for working families, state employees or main street businesses.

Montana’s largest two property tax payers are NorthWestern Energy and BNSF Railroad . They each got millions of dollars in tax cuts. Northwestern sent the loot to corporate headquarters in South Dakota and then raised your electric rates. BNSF sent the stash to Fort Worth, Texas, and increased freight rates to ship Montana’s wheat crop to Portland. Refineries, pipelines, transmission lines and mines all got big tax breaks and did not invest more in Montana or hire more Montana workers. They just sent your money to their shareholders.

The governor and Republican legislators first claimed that they did not raise taxes, then falsely claimed that counties raised your property taxes. County Commissioners (most are Republicans) were disgusted by that accusation and unsuccessfully sued the governor to try to cut your taxes, reminding the Helena crowd that state law only allows counties to increase spending by half the annual inflation rate (around 2%).

The embarrassed governor finally convened a “property tax task force.” The task force consisted of the governor’s staff, pals, legislators and lobbyists He even appointed some out of state “experts.” They prepared a 30-page document with all kinds of ideas, but still did not recommend the simple solution of cutting the tax rate from 1.35% to 0.94%. So, your home’s taxes are still increasing.

The 30-page document (smoke and mirrors) was prepared by the same governor’s staff, legislators and lobbyists that concocted and voted for your tax increases during the 2023 legislative session. Thirty pages of recommendations yet not a single vote was cast.

I guess they all agreed before they sat down that your taxes should go up and that out-of-state corporations get to keep your money.

Brian Schweitzer is a third generation Montana farmer, husband, father, grandfather and served as Montana’s Governor from 2005 to 2013.

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Montana

Montana’s congressional delegation pushing back on plan to import Argentina beef

Published

2 hours ago

October 30, 2025

Press Room

Montana’s congressional delegation pushing back on plan to import Argentina beef

HELENA — When President Donald Trump announced a plan last week to import more beef from Argentina, it drew quick criticism from ranchers in Montana. Now, Montana’s members of Congress say they’re pushing the administration to change course.

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines told MTN he quickly began hearing from Montanans in the cattle business after reports came out about Trump’s plan.

“The word I would describe is they feel betrayed,” he said.

(Watch the video to hear more reaction from Montana’s congressional delegation.)

Montana’s congressional delegation pushing back on plan to import beef from Argentina

Daines said Montana beef producers have already been under pressure from drought and market forces. He said this step was “an unforced error” by the administration.

All four members of Montana’s congressional delegation are Republicans. They all say the Republican president’s plan was the wrong direction and that they’ve made that case when speaking with administration leaders.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, who represents Montana’s western congressional district, says he understands why Trump wanted to tackle high beef prices, but that this wasn’t the right way for him to do it.

“Having a healthy cattle industry, having a healthy poultry industry and having a healthy supply chain for food is really national security,” he told MTN. “So he understands that, and I think we’re going to see some action in making sure or calming a lot of the fears from the cattlemen out there.”

Earlier this year, Daines visited Argentina and met with its conservative president, Javier Milei, during a South American tour advocating for Trump’s trade policies. He said his opinions on the country and its government don’t play any role in his feelings on this proposed deal.

“I don’t care if this is Argentinian beef or beef coming from anywhere else in the world,” he said. “The answer for what’s going on right now in the markets is not to import more beef – bottom line. It doesn’t matter where it comes from; it happens to be Argentina.”

Daines said it would be better for Montana’s cattle industry for the U.S. to focus on opening export markets rather than import markets. In 2017, Daines celebrated an agreement that led to China buying millions of dollars in Montana beef – but he said Thursday that the country has shut the doors to American beef during the ongoing trade dispute with the Trump administration.

“We were shipping over $1 billion a year in beef last year, and now it’s gone to zero,” he said.

In a statement to MTN, Sen. Tim Sheehy said he’s been talking with Trump and his team, looking for a path forward.

“Empowering hardworking ranchers who feed America and lowering prices for American families at the grocery store are not mutually exclusive,” he said. “Both can be accomplished by lowering input costs and providing a reliable, pro-growth environment for producers so ranchers can grow their operation, capture more of the value they create, and feed the nation with affordable, healthy, high-quality beef.”

Zinke and Daines say they also see areas where the federal government can make moves that will benefit both Montana ranchers and Montana consumers. Daines wants Congress to do more to tackle the huge market share four large packing companies have in the beef industry – a situation he calls a “monopoly.”

“Our ranchers don’t set the price; that price is set for them,” he said.

Zinke wants to put additional emphasis on country-of-origin labeling for beef.

“In Montana, we have a brand and that brand has value,” he said. “When it’s made in Montana, you know it’s at the top, the quality is there. And our ranchers sell premium product – that’s important.”

Daines said he supports country-of-origin labeling also, though he wants to make sure any additional steps the U.S. takes doesn’t lead to unintended consequences or retribution from countries like Canada.

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Montana

2025 Montana high school football scores week 9

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22 hours ago

October 30, 2025

Press Room

2025 Montana high school football scores week 9

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Montana

Montana Morning Headlines: Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Published

2 days ago

October 29, 2025

Press Room

WESTERN MONTANA — Here’s a look at Western Montana’s top news stories for Wednesday.

The University of Montana removed Business Professor Anthony Richard Pawlisz from faculty after he was charged with criminal endangerment in Ravalli County court. Pawlisz allegedly pulled a gun on a man and fired a shot into the air after a fight outside of a bar in Florence on Aug. 17, according to court documents. His former class will continue under Professor Udo Fluck. (Read the full story)

Nathaniel Luke Smith pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct on Monday after posing a threat to Mission High School on Oct. 8, which prompted increased police presence while classes continued. Smith is also serving a three-year deferred sentence for intimidation from an incident in November 2024. (Read the full story)

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte said he will not be using state funds to temporarily cover SNAP benefits for nearly 78,000 enrolled Montanans if federal funding runs out on Nov. 1. Amidst a government shutdown, he said it’s a federal responsibility — despite calls from Democrats and food banks to use leftover state money. (Read the full story)

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