The Montana Property Tax Mess: Brought to You by the GOP

Let’s be clear: what happened in 2023 wasn’t “small government.”

The Republican-controlled legislature had the chance to fix Montana’s broken property tax system and they didn’t. They played games, protected out-of-state landlords and big utility companies, and threw Montana homeowners under the bus.

This is not a government that works for you. The GOP works for the wealthy and prioritizes donors over neighbors.

2025 brought a shift.

A handful of Republican legislators finally remembered their oath, not to a party, but to the people of Montana. Together with Democrats, they helped pass SB 542 and HB 231, bipartisan bills that deliver real property tax relief to Montanans:

• A homestead exemption to reduce taxes on primary residences

• $400 rebates for homeowners

• A shift in tax burden from homeowners to second homes, short-term rentals, utilities, and commercial property

The result? Owner-occupied homes could see an average 18% property tax reduction over two years, while taxes on second homes may increase by 60–105%.

This matters in places like Livingston, Bozeman, and Kalispell where families who have struggled to purchase or own homes are barely hanging on. Rising property taxes threaten local schools and force elders out of homes they’ve lived in for decades.

This is far from over.

Eligible Montanans need to apply for rebates between August 15 and October 1, 2025, and for the homestead exemption by March 1, 2026. Outreach will be critical. Without it, too many folks, especially in our rural areas, may miss out.

Gaps remain. Critics rightly point out that this is a tax shift, not long-term reform. It still requires the Department of Revenue to backfill local budgets, and it doesn’t fix the root problem of unfair, volatile tax structures. True reform, like capping levy growth, still lies ahead.

We’ve made real progress thanks to bipartisan cooperation but there's more work ahead to ensure every Montanan receives what's due. I’ll continue showing up in every community, fighting for real relief and real accountability.

To be clear: property taxes are set at the state and local level, not in the U.S. Senate but my job as a candidate for Senate is to listen to Montanans, hear what’s keeping you up at night, and fight for fairness wherever I can.

When families are being taxed out of their homes, when rural schools are underfunded, and when the system feels rigged, that’s not someone else’s problem. That’s my responsibility, because real representation starts with showing up and listening.

A pipe dream of mine? Every elected official in Montana runs as a Montanan, not a puppet or a party soldier. We could have leaders who show up for all of us, not just the wealthy few.

I’m running as a Democrat because the Republican Party has become the party of big government and tax cuts for the rich and that’s not working for Montana.

I’m running against an empty suit who’s done nothing but cash checks and dodge accountability.

I’m running to fight for real relief, real reform, and a government that works for working people, not just the ones who can afford a second home on Flathead Lake.