Whitefish council adopts FY2026 budget, approves levies and tax-related resolutions

The Whitefish City Council unanimously adopted the city’s fiscal year 2026 budget on Aug. 18 and approved a package of levies and special assessments tied to changes from the 2025 Montana legislative session. City Manager Dana said the council had reviewed the proposed FY2026 budget in three work sessions and that changes at the state level required staff to adjust local levies and explain impacts to residents. "We've gone over the proposed fiscal year 20 26 budget, multiple times," Dana said. The adoption matters because the state enacted a tiered property tax structure that changes how residential and commercial property are taxed. Dana told the council the new residential tax rates apply on a graduated scale (for example, a lower rate for the first $400,000 in value and higher rates for subsequent tiers) and that a Homestead Act implementation…