By: Joseph Johns
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EDITOR UPDATE: Both HB231 and SB542 were signed by Governor Gianforte.
Montana lawmakers passed two property tax reform bills during the 2025 session that aim to shift the property tax burden from primary residences and long-term rentals to commercial properties, short-term rentals, agricultural properties, and centrally assessed real property. SB 542 and HB 231 contain numerous provisions that began as deliberations of the Governor’s Property Tax Taskforce. Both are currently awaiting action by the governor.
While the two proposals differ, they are flawed in many of the same ways. Importantly, both promise to reduce property tax liability for some by shifting the burden to others, making the reforms inefficient, nonneutral, and uncompetitive. And every Montanan would see the state liable to backfill local revenue losses for up to four years, underscoring the need to balance reform with sound policy.
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