MISSOULA, MT – Governor Greg Gianforte on April 9th, held a press conference with Missoula County homeowners and business owners to discuss their support for securing permanent, meaningful property tax relief this year.

“In November, Montanans spoke loud and clear: they want permanent tax relief, on property and income taxes,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Our diverse, bipartisan property tax task force identified the Homestead Rate Cut as a solution, we need to get it done."

Visiting VW Ice, a family-owned ice supplier in Missoula, the governor heard from Montanans on the need for the legislature to pass long-term reforms to lower property taxes. As proposed in his budget, the Homestead Rate Cut is projected to lower property taxes for Montana homeowners by 15% and small businesses by 18%.

The recommendation is a result of the governor’s diverse, bipartisan Property Tax Task Force and, according to estimates, will directly reduce property taxes for more than 215,000 primary residences, more than 32,000 small businesses, and provide indirect relief for over 130,000 renters.

At the visit, Missoula County homeowners, ag producers, and business owners spoke about the impact of property taxes and the need for a permanent solution.

“It’s great to see the Homestead Rate Cut coming through, because that’s exactly what Montanans had asked for. This is a monumental turn for all Montanans. The taxes that we’ve seen increase over the years has increased in such an amount, that having this type of reform would allow us to make the next steps in purchasing equipment, make sure we’re taking care of our families,” said Jack Kirkland, owner of VW Ice, a small business projected to benefit from the Homestead Rate Cut.

Kirkland concluded, “This is really what we’ve been asking for, and we really appreciate it.”

Joining the press conference was rancher Justin Iverson of Iverson Ranch in Missoula County, who added, “I’m currently the third generation on the ranch. We have a fourth generation who are being raised on the ranch. When our customers ask us to be sustainable, they’re generally talking about environmental sustainability. But as a small business, we need to be economically sustainable. And as part of the vision of the ranch, I want to make sure that we can pass it on to the next generation which means I need to invest in the ranch and tax reform will help us do that.”

The governor also heard from homeowners, LeJene and Richard Foster, on the reality of rising property taxes and the need to act quickly to deliver relief. LeJene said, “Since 2020, our property taxes on our little home with 13 acres has gone up over $3,000. We are both at retirement age. How are people like us supposed to continue when property taxes are high like this?”

The couple indicated that, when taken together, their insurance and property tax payments near the cost of a house payment.

The Homestead Rate Cut, carried in House Bill 321 sponsored by Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, was recently tabled in the Senate Taxation Committee.

Noting he was visiting an ice production facility, the governor concluded, “Hardworking Montanans cannot afford for us to put property tax reform on ice.”