Montana

‘We just can’t take this anymore’: Montana man, 68, begs for ‘moratorium on property taxes’ after his bill reaches $8K a year just ‘to live in our own house’

Published

2 years ago

May 11, 2024

‘We just can’t take this anymore’: Montana man, 68, begs for ‘moratorium on property taxes’ after his bill reaches K a year just ‘to live in our own house’

‘We just can’t take this anymore’: Montana man, 68, begs for ‘moratorium on property taxes’ after his bill reaches $8K a year just ‘to live in our own house’

A senior from Montana has delivered a viral speech about the sorry state of property taxes in the Treasure State.

“I’m on Social Security, I’m 68-years-old and working just to pay my taxes,” says Kurt, in a clip shared on TikTok by Ryan Busse, who is running to be the next governor of Montana.

Don’t miss

Kurt claims that over the last couple of years, his annual property taxes have soared from $895 to almost $8,000 — an increase of around 790% — which he says is like paying almost “$700 a month rent to the state to live in our own house.” The state has an Elderly Homeowner/Renter Tax Credit, and the maximum credit is $1,150.

“There needs to be a moratorium on what we have to pay,” he says, adding that he’s had to continue working into what should be his retirement golden years to cover his mounting property costs. “I’m stubborn enough [that] I don’t want to dig into my bank account to pay them.”

Kurt is one of thousands of Montana homeowners suffering sticker shock over recent property tax hikes. He says: “We just can’t take this anymore. This was a great place and it still is, but the people that made it great can’t afford to live here anymore.”

Here’s what’s going on in the Treasure State.

Soaring property values

There are many reasons why property taxes may increase over time. First and foremost, property tax is typically based on a percentage of a home’s assessed value — so if your value goes up, it’s likely that your tax bill will too.

In Kurt’s case, he claims to have bought his property in 1995. In the 29 years since then, the family home (he does not share where in Montana the property is located) has undoubtedly increased in value.

According to FRED Economic Data’s house price index for Billings, MT (the state’s most populous city), the average house price at the end of 1995 was around $103,860 and by the end of 2023 it had soared around 272% to more than $387,000.

Read more: Jeff Bezos and Oprah Winfrey invest in this asset to keep their wealth safe — you may want to do the same in 2024

Looking at the data since 1985, the steepest jump in value in Billings and elsewhere in the state occurred between 2021 and 2023 — during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, when there was a surge of migration to the state and housing demand quickly outpaced supply. This corresponds with Kurt’s complaint that his property taxes have soared “over the last couple of years,” which likely occurred because his property value increased.

Instead of working deep into what should be his retirement years, Kurt could sell the family home, collect his capital gains and move somewhere smaller (and with a more manageable tax bill) — but the house holds too much sentimental value for him to consider that.

“My children were raised [there]. They want to get married there, and I plan on being there until the very end,” he says — even if that means taking winter and summer shifts.

Other homeowners in Montana, who aren’t quite so attached to their properties, may see selling and moving as their only viable option. According to a Montana Free Press (MTFP) analysis of revenue department data for the 956,000 properties on the state’s property tax rolls in both 2022 and 2023, the median Montana residential property owner saw a 21% hike on their property taxes this year, with typical increases ranging between 11% and 35%. That translates into residential tax bills that will be $98 to $660 a year more.

Where do the taxes go?

Property taxes make up almost 97% of local tax revenue here, considerably more than the 71% share for local governments in all U.S. states together, according to a state legislature brief. Property taxes account for 9.9% of the tax revenue of the Montana state government, as opposed to 1.7% for all the state governments.

Montana’s great reliance on property taxes is possibly due to the comparitively lower tax revenue from sales and excise taxes. Montana has no state or local sales tax.

Property taxes are calculated by multiplying the property’s market value by its tax rate (1.35% for residential properties) and its mill levies (one mill generates $1 for each $1,000 in taxable value). For example, for a property worth $400,000 with a tax rate of 1.35% and a mill rate of 650, the property tax would be $3,510.

Almost all property taxes in Montana go towards county and city government services like K-12 schools, law enforcement and fire departments. This money does not typically go towards state services, like universities and prisons, which are funded by state income tax.

As inflation has increased nationwide, this has not only driven up the cost of living, but it also inflated the costs of providing public services. As a result, some local governments have had to compensate by raising property tax rates.

There’s no easy fix to Montanans’ property tax nightmares. The state department of revenue has promised property tax rebates for the 2022 and 2023 tax years of up to $675 for eligible homeowners, using $350 million from the state’s budget surplus.

While that may help some cash-strapped Montana homeowners, the “moratorium” on taxes that Chuck so desperately wants remains highly unlikely.

March 5 recap: Missoula and Western Montana news you may have missed today

Published

3 hours ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

March 5 recap: Missoula and Western Montana news you may have missed today

State

Zip Code

Country

Source link

Montana

Montana GOP won’t endorse in federal races this cycle • Daily Montanan

Published

16 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Montana GOP won’t endorse in federal races this cycle • Daily Montanan

Although newly minted GOP candidates for the U.S. House and U.S. Senate have garnered heavyweight endorsements, the Montana Republican Party said Thursday it won’t throw its support behind any candidates for federal office in the primary.

“The Montana Republican Party (MTGOP) stands behind its deep bench of qualified candidates seeking to represent Montanans and supports a competitive primary process to let voters pick their preferred candidates,” the Montana GOP said in a news release Thursday.

Monday, U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke announced he was retiring due to health concerns once his term ends, and he immediately tapped talk-show host Aaron Flint as his preferred successor in Congress.

Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen and Flathead County Republican Central Committee Chairperson Al Olszewski also filed for the U.S. House as Republicans, as did Ray Curtis of Bonner.

Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines withdrew, and in a statement the same night, announced an endorsement of former U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, who had filed the same day.

In the Senate, Lee Calhoun and Charles Walking Child also filed to run in the Republican primary.

Endorsements for Flint and Alme cascaded. U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed both candidates, and U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy and Gov. Greg Gianforte threw their weight behind Flint and Alme.

Late on Wednesday, the Montana GOP did not immediately have comment on the news Daines, Montana’s senior U.S. senator, had resigned, but Thursday, the party thanked Zinke and Daines for their service.

A news release said the party would not endorse any candidates in the federal primary and would leave the job in the hands of voters.

“The party hopes every candidate will make their case to the public, contrasting their Republican policies and principles with those of Democrats — as well as phony ‘Independents,’” the news release said.

Former University of Montana President Seth Bodnar announced a run for the U.S. Senate as an independent this week.

A tension within the Republican party has emerged in recent years between hardline conservatives and more moderate members, and some legislative primaries illustrate the split.

This week, the state GOP said the number of primaries for state legislative seats shows a high interest from Montanans who want to serve the state and pass Republican policy, and the MTGOP “is glad to see so many Republicans being called to public service.”

In a brief call, MTGOP spokesperson Ethan Holmes said the party had not ruled out endorsements in legislative primaries.

In the news release, however, the MTGOP offered its view of the larger political debate.

“Montana voters know that beyond the primaries, there is a clear choice between Republican and Democratic governance; one path leads to lower taxes, less crime and stronger families, and the other leads to higher taxes, more crime, and social decay,” MTGOP Chairperson Art Wittich said in a statement.

The news release also said the state GOP is working “tirelessly to deliver a Bright Red Future” at both the state and federal level and looks forward to help candidates whom voters select win in November.

Source link

Montana

Montana Lottery Powerball, Lotto America results for March 4, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

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

Here’s a look at March 4, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 4 drawing

07-14-42-47-56, Powerball: 06, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from March 4 drawing

33-38-39-47-51, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 02

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from March 4 drawing

01-07-08-27, Bonus: 12

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 4 drawing

05-10-26-53-59, Powerball: 06

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Montana Cash numbers from March 4 drawing

03-04-06-08-10

Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 4 drawing

12-13-36-39-58, Bonus: 03

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.

Source link