[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6223057,"mediaKeyId","3577204-cac2a0aad59ce09a205fefbc0ff3ae1d","parentId",3577204,"title","Missoula meeting participants point to county equalization and interdistrict transfers as potential responses to property-tax funding disparities","audioSeconds",737,"startMs",3261000,"endMs",3998000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3577204-cac2a0aad59ce09a205fefbc0ff3ae1d&start=3261&end=3998","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3577204-cac2a0aad59ce09a205fefbc0ff3ae1d/thumbnail_3261000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6223057/Missoula/Missoula-County/Montana/Missoula-meeting-participants-point-to-county-equalization-and-interdistrict-transfers-as-potential-responses-to-property-tax-funding-disparities","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6223057-52be23ca4c7b5f22b6de898c0c428b45/orig.mp4?Expires=1775209290&Signature=GNqochgD9J2mKSqg3KcDOmDDwGyF7w7oawsGUAjEt5reIdO8uO4PrLpVARQTvkGtxTu1o8ZnaUBqsIBtuQ6gSih2ogpxoeKzoF-C46mvoyKwgftwiY4gNYlIKwVVokidJ7j6QYFktV03KzKJuWSapwnRrPJV6EQYM1fgv1OIaor58XynAVg-mAER-MYQ48U7N3Cjs19LNHJZ7AFjlOOutsRuYN-qcGT0UaeMTNSGvS~egbEaPebzTEsmnI24Y1tdl0imTn02PqhaUY8S~lw-f9nk2iAiBr6NzDg2k9sah9poIYibDAvLU0v06r4~DxBk856XsURMNpc-K0au~ulUvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Missoula, MT","date","2025-05-28T21:15:10Z","article","Community members at an On Q meeting discussed structural funding inequities that arise from local property-tax differences and explored possible policy responses including county-level equalization, interdistrict transfers and district dissolution.

Why it matters: Missoula-area participants said local property-tax capacity varies across adjacent districts, producing uneven resources for capital and operations. Possible remedies are structural and would require state or county-level action or complex interdistrict agreements.

A commenter summarized the issue this way: “When you really have two taxing authorities right next to each other, one is very high and one is very low for the exact same service,” and he pointed to a ongoing legal challenge he called the Stovall suit from Billings as an example of litigation addressing inequitable taxation.

Meeting participants described several potential responses that were raised during the discussion:

- County-level equalization of school property-tax revenues. Some speakers said legislation could enact countywide equalization of school funding to reduce disparities among adjacent districts.

- Interdistrict transfers or program-based choice. Speakers noted that districts can create transfer agreements or magnet-style programs that attract students from other areas, but they warned such arrangements shift transportation, program and special-education responsibilities.

- District dissolution/absorption. One speaker said the only straightforward statutory route in some cases would be for a district to dissolve and be absorbed by a neighboring district, which raises political and programmatic challenges.

Speakers cautioned about the distributional impacts of transfers: one participant observed that interdistrict transfers can concentrate higher needs in accepting schools, noting Missoula County Public Schools has an above-average share of students receiving special-education services. At the meeting, participants cited middle-school special-education rates of about 16% and elementary rates near 12% as context for those concerns.

Gloria Johnson, interim superintendent, framed the larger funding picture by comparing the education consumer-price index to legislative increases in per-pupil schedules, saying, “If we were receiving the same percentage increase in those schedules as the educational CPI, we'd be fine.” The group used that comparison to show how state schedule increases have lagged education-specific cost inflation over time.

What's next: participants did not identify a specific legislative or legal action to pursue at the meeting; they framed equalization and transfer options as policy-level remedies that would require further study, community discussion and possible state or county action.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","OnCue A Community Meeting Regarding Public Education in Missoula 2002","oneSentenceSummary","On Q participants discussed structural funding disparities driven by local property-tax differences, a pending suit cited as the \"Stovall\" case in Billings, and possible remedies including county-level equalization, district consolidation or interdistrict transfers; speakers noted implementation challenges including special-education cost shifts.","taxTitle","Missoula, Missoula County, Montana","taxId",4050,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6223062,"Local foundations and school-based funds highlighted as one practical way to expand Missoula schools' resources",210,4057000,4267000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3577204-cac2a0aad59ce09a205fefbc0ff3ae1d&start=4057&end=4267","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3577204-cac2a0aad59ce09a205fefbc0ff3ae1d/thumbnail_4057000.jpg","/articles/6223062/Missoula/Missoula-County/Montana/Local-foundations-and-school-based-funds-highlighted-as-one-practical-way-to-expand-Missoula-schools-resources","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6223062-d212d1946ce99f57f4a103fe4a804594/orig.mp4?Expires=1775209290&Signature=J1IJt8vA4vMRtUVnUnyvqsyDK9-ZUNeijircmXdCDbn-1kEqfJud-DqdEw8nBQfNZ5F91AwXNjvpVFu0eiWtYDHY1WL7dHcaqeoIV9g8Q2pqNfdAnYReKqTZ3Y5uHmE8qeyJcJuIjceQcvMdHGAB1QQs0dKYcB3L5nHHlpoiica3LfGqR~PHdYEqPlIAg4zvJ4plYWOP2CsiQVudTwG0u7Ka3PRva6Rim8BecRFmFDHatJ9WEe7lHO3TDE1YvrVTxu8YGi3prV8npY2-iOuipfKzQ1gPlKPevo~W-gPoNTJ001LYPz0O3E9YhStOV7ehf49RVT7VQ-UAFQ5YkE-PzA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Supporters at an On Q meeting described school-based foundations and local community funds as one practical approach to supplementing shrinking state and local education dollars, citing Target Range School District's foundation as an example and noting a Missoulian-backed Celebrate Missoula umbrella as a near-term option for designated fundraising.

Why it matters: PEFs and community foundations provide funding not tied to per-pupil state schedules; they can fund programs, small teacher grants and seed endowments that are resilient to legislative volatility.

Michael Magone, identified at the meeting as superintendent of Target Range Elementary School District, summarized his district's foundation history and scale. He said the Target Range foundation began in 1995, received an early $10,000 donation, and had been relatively dormant for several years before board leadership helped revive it. “As of about 3 days ago, we have, I guess, about 25 to 30,000 dollars in endowment funds,” Magone said, adding the district uses a mix of designated gifts and endowment funds for small classroom grants and occasional program support.

Magone described three categories of foundation gifts: immediate designated gifts for specific items, unrestricted endowments for long-term growth, and endowments designated for particular needs. Target Range currently partners with the Montana Community Foundation and has both designated gifts (for items such as computers or library books) and smaller grants teachers can apply for.

On Q members also reported a meeting with Mike McAnally about Celebrate Missoula, a community foundation launched by the Missoulian. The group said McAnally indicated the existing Celebrate Missoula structure could serve as an umbrella for designated fundraising while a district-specific PEF is reconstituted.

Speakers at the meeting noted that successful PEFs typically combine grassroots community support, a significant early seed donation or endowment, and a dedicated group of volunteers or board members to sustain fundraising and grantmaking. Speakers cautioned that foundations require active stewardship: Target Range's representative said the foundation met infrequently until recent effort to reactivate it, and warned that without ongoing effort donations will accumulate but not be distributed.

What's next: On Q members said they will explore using Celebrate Missoula as a short-term vehicle while continuing work to revive or charter a district PEF and to compile a public inventory of existing volunteer and community support across Missoula schools.

","On Q participants discussed Public Education Foundations (PEFs) as a way to supplement district funding, with Target Range describing a small but growing endowment and the community exploring Celebrate Missoula as a possible umbrella for short-term fundraising.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6223067,"Missoula organizers urge public to attend Feb. 7 budget presentation after administrators flag roughly $1.4 million gap",244,338000,582000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3577204-cac2a0aad59ce09a205fefbc0ff3ae1d&start=338&end=582","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3577204-cac2a0aad59ce09a205fefbc0ff3ae1d/thumbnail_338000.jpg","/articles/6223067/Missoula/Missoula-County/Montana/Missoula-organizers-urge-public-to-attend-Feb-7-budget-presentation-after-administrators-flag-roughly-14-million-gap","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6223067-49755fc608edf28bf68240f76c8c9d00/orig.mp4?Expires=1775209290&Signature=gouguFhQzLl-L6AyG~D2hXDolzH1PPpC97AdnyIP-0soj9KbHeaYbA-~Nncxiu-KF~i6AqYJruOLPS5bpubCrQSn83JOelsEFgmxF76HQEwJmwdKBxxm7Ey3ykTiv~n43OQWfvi078alglW2NGdpotEIT~Rd2uX3rUUhJ7gek9BXuQnwRyPU8RqpzOqsSnu4q3IFjIzFT8eox~C-PsyngdDrc1aCbl6RwpzsPMH9VNLeggVMRk4~-V~YmEbXD04Px8W1RYCSvqzU59spYfUTJF9WfnlxTfjUHuhVCYzPuredbGB9jHkEDiC1FAqhc9OmCod-pu8EVPFdFDt4DVOptA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Missoula community members were urged to attend a Feb. 7 public meeting where district administrators will present the proposed budget, after administrators told participants at an On Q meeting that preliminary projections show the district may face roughly a $1.4 million shortfall.

Why it matters: the administration and the school board will use the Feb. 7 public presentation as the starting point for board deliberations in February and March that could lead to program restrictions or other reductions if projections do not improve.

At the meeting, Gloria Johnson, interim superintendent, said, “we've been informed by our business manager that our budget for the elementary next year will be less than it is this year based on preliminary numbers.” Johnson added that, when staffing and other negotiated needs are included, “somewhere in the neighborhood are probably $1,400,000.”

Johnson outlined the near-term schedule for budget work: the administration will present its recommendation at a Feb. 7 public meeting, board deliberations will continue through February, the district will pause for the superintendent selection process, then the board will hold three meetings in March to try to reach a decision.

She described how administrators plan to respond if the gap remains: “If we get down to 0 at that point, then well and good. If we don't, then we begin to look at program restriction cuts, scale back, and those kinds of things.”

Steve McArthur, facilitator for the On Q group, encouraged public attendance at the Feb. 7 meeting and at subsequent budget sessions, saying residents should “show up February 7 and be there if you can.” The Feb. 7 session will be held at MCPS Hastings School and is scheduled for 6:00 p.m., the group said.

Participants at the On Q meeting repeatedly urged broader community engagement in the budget process and repeated that the public should understand the connection between high-level strategic goals and the detailed line items that drive individual school budgets. Several speakers asked the district to present clearer links between the district's mission, strategic planning and the line-by-line budget so citizens can prioritize where to allocate scarce funds.

The administrators emphasized that the figures are preliminary and may change before final board action. Johnson repeatedly framed the Feb. 7 presentation as the clearest near-term opportunity for the public to hear the administration's recommendation and for the board to begin deliberations.

What's next: the administration's Feb. 7 presentation will be the public starting point for the board's formal deliberations on the coming budget; attendees at the On Q meeting were asked to follow the timeline and to use the group's channels to organize sustained community engagement through the board's February and March sessions.

","At an On Q community meeting, district administrators told residents that preliminary numbers show next year's elementary budget could be smaller than this year's and that negotiated raises and new needs leave roughly a $1.4 million gap; the administration will present its recommendation at a public meeting on Feb. 7.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Missoula meeting participants point to county equalization and interdistrict transfers as potential responses to property-tax funding disparities

Local foundations and school-based funds highlighted as one practical way to expand Missoula schools' resources

Missoula organizers urge public to attend Feb. 7 budget presentation after administrators flag roughly $1.4 million gap