Valley County Property Taxpayers To See Increase

Last week, the Valley County Commissioners passed a resolution amending the county mill levy for state equalization, county high school equalization and the county elementary equalization mill levy authority for this fiscal year.

The Montana Supreme Court sided with the Gianforte administration in December when it ruled that counties must calculate 95 mills for the states school equalization fund.

Most counties including Valley County levied 77.9 mills, as opposed to the full 95 mills, as part of a local solution to help homeowners with anticipated increases in property taxes. This resulted in a tax reduction of $500,000 for Valley County property taxpayers.

But in December, the Montana Supreme Court ruled that counties must levy 95 mills as ordered by the Montana Department of Revenue.

This will result in an increase in property taxes in May of 2024 as Valley County will send out bills to make up the $500,000 that was not collected in the fall of 2023.