The House Appropriations Committee endorsed a bill that would give primary Montana homeowners and small businesses property tax relief while shifting a higher burden onto out-of-state and second homeowners, big businesses and agriculture lands.
House Bill 231 came out of Gov. Greg Gianforte’s property tax task force. Appropriations Chair Rep. Llew Jones, the bill’s sponsor, successfully amended his proposal to tie it to a bill backed by Democrats. House Bill 154 would lower property tax bills for homeowners and renters based on their ability to pay – targeting relief to those on middle and low incomes.
Jones’ bill now says that if the Democrats’ bill fails, HB 231 will automatically be amended, “So that that lower block of houses will receive an additional or a lower rate.”
If low-income households get that higher tax break, it would increase the burden on businesses and second homes.
The bipartisan package will now return to the full House for consideration. If approved, it’ll head to the state Senate.
The House Appropriations Committee also advanced another bill from Democrats that would create a tiered property-tax structure with higher rates for higher-valued properties.
