Montana Department of Revenue staff told a legislative committee Monday next year’s reappraisal cycle could produce a partial repeat of last year’s tax spike as the state’s real estate market continues to translate into higher residential taxes. The department expects the market value of the average Montana residential property to be reappraised at 21% higher when it completes next year’s reappraisal cycle.
Abortion clinics in Montana won’t be subject to new licensing requirements imposed by House Bill 937 from the 2023 Montana Legislature for now. Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Christopher Abbott says they are likely to violate patients’ rights to equal protection. A temporary restraining order that blocked the law was set to expire today.
Following a win in the recent election Republican Governor Greg Gianforte says the state can reduce income and property taxes while investing in public safety and education. He proposes lawmakers adopt a two-year state budget that prioritizes his agenda during the next Legislative session which begins in January.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will invest in 40 states through the Inflation Reduction Act in clean energy projects. The Rural Energy for American Program will support 1,100 renewable projects 15 of which will be Montana recipients of $256 million. They will receive funding to install solar arrays energy-efficient heating systems and other improvements that aim to reduce energy consumption and lower costs. Investments of more than $600,000 in clean energy projects will be made across Montana aimed at reducing operational costs and supporting energy efficiency for farms and rural small businesses.
Montanans can now enroll in the marketplace apply for Medicaid or change their health care plans to better meet their needs. A record 66,366 enrolled in the marketplace in the past year and 87% received tax credits to make premiums more affordable. Open enrollment runs through January 15th but if Montanans need coverage January 1st they must enroll by December 15th.
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Missoula Unit plans to conduct pile burning on state trust lands pending favorable weather and fuel conditions through December 1st as conditions allow. Pile burning is used to reduce vegetative slash leftover from ongoing forest management projects on DNRC trust lands and are conducted under strict conditions to ensure smoke dispersion and air quality compliance.
According to Zillow the median rent in Big Sky is around $3,500 a month which has prompted an effort to build affordable housing for workers. The Lone Mountain Land Company is transforming an old motel into new workforce housing for 322 residents to address the community’s needs. Workers have already begun moving into the new apartments as they prepare for the ski season.
Federal grant money from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs is helping fight school violence for two Montana educational entities. A total of $1 million will be awarded to the Western Montana Professional Learning Collaborative in Lolo and $999,992 to Billings Public Schools.
109.43 acres of land about 23 miles northwest of Winifred is being offered by the Bozeman-based nonprofit American Prairie to the Montana State Parks Foundation. The parcel of land along the Missouri and Judith rivers in central Montana has been donated for a possible state park that could benefit those who enjoy floating and fishing on the rivers.
The Bureau of Land Management has released a proposed plan to manage wild horses on the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range which spans parts of Montana and Wyoming. It aims to update current management strategies to ensure the health of the wild horse herd by maintaining genetic diversity. The BLM also plans to implement regular horse roundups to maintain the population at the desired level over the next decade.
