Property Taxes, In Particular.

For those of us in Bozeman, this is probably the most pressing issue of all. 

Skyrocketing property taxes must be addressed immediately. 

People will lose their homes if the status quo remains. 

We have a Republican supermajority and Governor and the fact that the problem hasn't been addressed shows how dysfunctional Helena is.  This is a core conservative issue and I intend to force the issue above all others. 

We can't count on Democrats to lower taxes as they ALWAYS raise taxes. 

In fact, the Democrats have released their proposal for property tax reform and it guarantees that Bozeman homeowners will not see property tax relief. The Democrats' plan excludes relief for those properties with a value in excess of $750,000 while giving property tax relief to renters (who do not pay property taxes!). How many homes in Bozeman are valued at less than $750,000? The answer is easily found...very few. The average price of a single family home in Bozeman was, as of August 2024, well over $900,000 (see https://bozemanrealestate.group/blog/how-much-do-homes-cost-in-bozeman-right-now and https://www.kbzk.com/news/local-news/bozeman-home-prices-reaching-an-all-time-high-raising-the-cost-across-gallatin-county-and-the-region).

This is yet another Democrat trick to claim that they are helping working class people when, in reality, they are making it more expensive for working class families. In fact, under the Democrats' plan, property taxes in Bozeman will likely increase due to their proposed changes to the rate tiers based on property value.

We also can't count on those currently in office to take action, as they've had the power to do something and the best they've done is kick the can and send out refunds without addressing the structural issues that cause high property taxes.

As a conservative, I will make this my number one issue, even if it means defying the Republican position that has had no real impact on the problem.

I will introduce legislation to reform the property tax system for residences. The fact is that people want to live in Montana, and Bozeman in particular, and as supporter of capitalism and the free market I don't believe in trying to manipulate the market to prevent pricing that reflects actual supply and demand. The only thing that does is inject more government into the market and create unintended consequences, like further restricting the supply of housing.

What is needed is a new property tax system that limits the assessed value on primary residences. The way this would work is a baseline property valuation will be set, likely based on the purchase price of the residence for the current owner, with increases in that valuation capped at a certain percentage per year, like 1%.

In this way, those who have lived in their homes for a long time and who are likely on a fixed budget will not be penalized for increases in home values that do not reflect the owners' actual finances. For the elederly, this is the difference between being able to stay in their homes or being forced out of town by property taxes.

For those new to Montana, it is a fair tax solution that will be figured into the monthly or annual cost of buying and owning a home in this state. In other words, no future surprises based on what the market does in the future.