“And as government spends more, taxpayers are left to pick up the tab… Permanent tax relief requires limiting the growth of government budgets.”
The following has been adapted from an excerpt of the Frontier Weekly Newsletter written by Tanner Avery for the August 20th edition.
Missoula is about to collect more property taxes than ever before.
This week, the Missoula City Council approved its latest budget, which will increase property tax revenue by $2.8 million, or 3.8%. That is more money coming out of taxpayers’ pockets.
But there’s another reason that increase should catch your attention.
During the 2025 Legislature, HB 231 and SB 542 were repeatedly sold as historic property tax relief. While it is true that many homeowners will see their individual property tax bills go down, the laws never tackled the real driver of rising taxes: how much government spends.
Instead, the laws created a new progressive property tax system, with rates tiered by property value. The laws also shift the burden based on how property is used, generally favoring primary residences while pushing more of the tax bill onto businesses, second homes, short-term rentals, and other property uses government disfavors.
In Missoula, the tax shift hasn’t solved the real problem: the growth of government. And as government spends more, taxpayers are left to pick up the tab. The latest budget is just the newest example of a trend that is far from new.
Some might see a lower tax bill today, but if government keeps spending more, someone else is picking up the tab, whether it’s your neighbor, your friend, or a local business.
Missoula’s new budget demonstrates perfectly that shifting taxes can never be a long-term solution. Permanent tax relief requires limiting the growth of government budgets.
