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Senate tax committee concurs in bill to expand school levy impact notices to $100K, $300K and $600K home values
Summary
Representative Melissa Romano presented House Bill 22 to align school-levy reporting with recently updated valuation points; proponents representing rural and statewide education groups supported the bill and the committee later concurred.
Representative Melissa Romano introduced House Bill 22 to the Senate Tax Committee, saying the bill aligns how school districts report estimated property-tax impacts for nonvoted levies with valuation points adopted last session.
"Under this bill then school districts must provide estimated tax impacts for homes valued at $100,000, $300,000 and $600,000," Representative Melissa Romano said, explaining that the change follows language updated last session by House Bill 543 and would standardize notices so homeowners better understand levy effects.
Larry Crowder, representing the Montana Rural Education Association, said his organization of about 109 members representing 25,000 students supported the bill and recommended a do-pass vote. Doug Reisig, executive director of the Montana Quality Education Coalition, also testified in support, saying the bill "provides for greater transparency for our taxpayers and our voters, and it more accurately reflects the cost of housing here in Montana."
Senator Heyman asked whether the notice would be part of the property-tax statement or a separate notice. Romano and proponents clarified the bill calls for a separate notice to taxpayers for nonvoted levies rather than an adjustment to the property-tax statement.
In executive action the Senate Tax Committee voted to concur in House Bill 22. The committee recorded the concurrence as unanimous and selected Senator Fern to carry the bill.
