Montana

There is a way for Montana residential property taxes to go down

Published

2 years ago

June 30, 2024

Press Room

There is a way for Montana residential property taxes to go down

The upcoming property tax year could be a little easier on homeowners and renters than last year.

The operative word in that sentence is could. Here’s why this year could be easier, not a slam-dunk “will be easier.”

Three policy-generated numbers mathematically merge in a complex equation to determine what you pay in property taxes: 1) the state’s assessed value of your property; 2) the state’s tax rate applied to your property; and 3) every city and county’s total ask in taxes for the year (for the sake of simplicity, schools won’t be part of this particular explanation).

Cities and counties determine the size of the property tax pie (No. 3); state policy determines the size of your slice (Nos. 1 and 2). State law already caps how much cities and counties can increase the size of the pie, with a few exceptions falling outside of that cap, including voted bonds and levies and new properties that have come online in the last year.

2024 is not a reappraisal year, so the value of your home will not go up, for tax purposes. The Legislature also won’t meet this year, so the residential property rate will remain at 1.35%. So, for many jurisdictions across the state, if there are no voted bonds or levies, residential property taxes should only increase by the statutorily mandated one-half of the 3-year average of inflation. That should be the case, but it won’t be. Given that the tax pie is finite, if one piece gets smaller, another must get bigger.

There are 16 classifications of property, each with a different appraisal method and tax rate. The centrally assessed tax classification (telecoms, railroads, pipelines, airlines and NorthWestern Energy) appeal their valuations every year, regardless of where we are in the re-appraisal cycle. This process is underway, and they had until June 20 to submit their protests. These industries have deployed fleets of attorneys to Helena to contest their valuations. These negotiations happen behind closed doors and are always successful in reducing values for these industries.

This dramatically affects residential property taxpayers. When corporations in these industries successfully argue for a reduction in their value, they reduce the taxes they pay and increase yours. When the national telecoms, railroads, airlines, pipelines and NorthWestern Energy get a tax break in Montana, the size of their piece of the property tax pie gets smaller. That means someone else’s piece necessarily gets bigger – yours. When these corporations’ property taxes go down, yours go up. Residential taxpayers cover the costs of tax breaks for the centrally assessed industries. Even if cities’ and counties’ total tax levies remain the same this year, the state granting a reduction in value for centrally assessed property will make residential property taxes go up.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

If the centrally assessed industries were to acknowledge the massive property tax gut punch for homeowners and renters in 2023 and just sit out this round of appeals, that could really help your 2024 property taxes. For many of these national corporations, Montana is a tiny piece of their market. These reductions won’t matter much for them, but the property tax increases for Montanans sure will.

National telecoms, railroads, pipelines, airlines and NorthWestern Energy should just say no when it comes to appealing their respective valuations. The Montana employees and customers who need to afford to live here deserve your consideration more than your shareholders.

That’s not the only way to avoid this situation, though. If the Department of Revenue, at the direction of the governor, didn’t cave during these negotiations but instead stood tall for homeowners and renters and didn’t reduce these valuations, that could keep your property taxes down.

The state’s Property Tax Task Force is meeting now. Productive property tax conversations are happening in interim legislative committees and across the state. But 2025 is a long way off in terms of relief. Things could be better this year. National telecoms, railroads, airlines, pipelines and NorthWestern Energy should not appeal their valuations. And if they do, the Department of Revenue should make the negotiations public.

That actually would help.

Missoula County Commissioners Dave Strohmaier, Juanita Vero and Josh Slotnick.

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Montana

Public Meeting at Hub on Smith Concerning Montana Water Call Prompting Priority Administration in Tongue Basin

Published

12 hours ago

May 13, 2026

Press Room

Public Meeting at Hub on Smith Concerning Montana Water Call Prompting Priority Administration in Tongue Basin

Wyoming State Engineer Brandon Gebhart announced that on May 5, 2026, the State of Montana placed a call under Article V(A) of the Yellowstone River Compact to fill Tongue River Reservoir in Montana. As a result, priority administration is in effect on post-1950 water rights in Wyoming that divert water from the Tongue River and its tributaries and are not excluded from the compact.

A public meeting will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 18, in the dining room of The Hub on Smith. Attendees are asked to enter on the north side of the building.

The Tongue River Basin has been experiencing drought conditions over the past year with historically low winter snowpack and streamflow conditions. According to the release, those conditions led to Montana’s interstate call and prompted the administration of the Tongue River Basin in Wyoming.

The priority administration will affect post-1950 water rights within the Tongue River Basin, including reservoir storage, stream diversions and groundwater withdrawals, all of which affect river flows. Post-1950 water rights will be regulated off or prevented from turning on. Wyoming hydrographer-commissioners will continue to administer reservoir storage and post-1950 diversions throughout the spring and work with affected water users until the administration is lifted.

As provided in the compact, domestic uses less than one-half acre in area and livestock uses, including stock reservoirs less than 20 acre-feet in capacity, are excluded from this administration. The release noted these excluded rights could be subject to future regulation to satisfy priority calls by senior Wyoming water rights.

Beginning May 5, 2026, Wyoming hydrographer-commissioners have worked to record the current storage levels of reservoirs with post-1950 water rights. Going forward, those reservoirs can continue to accrue storage so long as post-1950 storage gained after the interstate call on May 5 remains in storage until either the water is released to satisfy the Montana call or Montana lifts the call because Tongue River Reservoir will fill.

Reservoirs with unfulfilled pre-1950 water rights can continue to store water and that storage will not be subject to release to satisfy Montana’s call. However, that storage and other direct flow rights could be subject to regulation to satisfy priority calls by senior Wyoming water rights.

The priority administration will be carried out pursuant to state law by hydrographer-commissioners assigned to various portions of the Tongue River Basin, working under the direction of Division II Superintendent David Schroeder.

The Wyoming State Engineer’s Office can be contacted at:

Jack Morey, deputy state engineer, 307-777-5032, jack.morey2@wyo.gov

David Schroeder, Division II superintendent, 307-674-7012, d.schroeder@wyo.gov

Jeff Cowley, interstate streams administrator, 307-777-1942, jeff.cowley@wyo.gov

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Montana

Montana Lottery Mega Millions, Big Sky Bonus results for May 12, 2026

Published

1 day ago

May 13, 2026

Press Room

The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 12, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 12 drawing

17-32-35-40-47, Mega Ball: 17

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 12 drawing

04-12-17-24, Bonus: 11

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 12 drawing

19-21-35-38-53, Bonus: 01

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.

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Montana

Montana Fifth Grader Takes Top Prize In Art Competition

Published

2 days ago

May 12, 2026

Press Room

Montana Fifth Grader Takes Top Prize In Art Competition

The Montana Highway Patrol hosts the Law Enforcement Appreciation Poster Contest every year. This year was the 5th annual contest, where kids all over the state submitted works of art to honor law enforcement officers.

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced the seven winners, for seven districts, late Monday, May 11.

The District One winner was Brooke Murphy, a fifth-grade student at Missoula Hellgate Elementary School.

Murphy’s wonderful, winning artwork!. Credit: Brooke Murphy & the Montana Attorney General’s Office.

“I appreciate law enforcement. They help us no matter what,” Murphy said in a statement from Knudsen’s office.

“It’s important to instill in young Montanans that this is a state that ‘Backs the Blue.’ Knowing they have the support of the community can make a world of difference to law enforcement officers, and these posters are a visual reminder that Montanans have their backs,” Knudsen said in a press release.

READ MORE: Popular Instagram Page Spotlights This Rustic Montana Roadhouse

Knudsen, Highway Patrol Colonel Kurt Sager, and a representative with Stockman Bank celebrated with Brooke and her class.

Credit: Office of Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen

It’s nice to win, but even nicer to receive the $750 courtesy of Stockman Bank and an ice cream party for the whole class to celebrate.

READ MORE: Watch a Bear and a Wolf Battle Over Dinner At Yellowstone National Park

Brooke was also named the statewide winner.

Here were the other district winners:

District Two: Payson Wittmer, of Great Falls

District Four: Madison Turner, of Huntley

District Five: Jacob Baisch, of Glendive

District Six: Ainsley Robinson, of Ronan

District Seven: Finley Roney, of Livingston