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Department of Revenue outlines implementation priorities, public outreach and property tax operations
Summary
Director Bridal Beatty and senior staff from the Montana Department of Revenue briefed the committee on department philosophy, outreach efforts, property tax responsibilities and staff points of contact for the session.
Bridal Beatty, director of the Montana Department of Revenue, told the Senate Local Government Committee that the department intends to implement legislative intent rather than act as an activist agency, and urged committee members to provide clear statutory language to minimize the need for interpretive rulemaking.
"We are not an activist agency," Beatty said, and added that the department’s role is to "execute the will of the legislature." He emphasized the department’s recent outreach on property taxation, noting multi-year town halls and public education work, and highlighted that the department has completed two years of tax rebate distributions while continuing core operations.
Beatty introduced senior staff who will appear before the committee on technical and fiscal matters: Tracy Morano, operations director; Derek Bell, business and income tax division administrator (centrally assessed and property issues); Dave Stewart, chief legal counsel; Jill Hamilton, information management and collections; Kristen Barbour, cannabis control division administrator; Steve Swanson, alcoholic beverage control division; Eric Dale, tax policy and research; Paula Gilbert, property tax division administrator; Robin Rude, deputy property administrator; and Tiffany Poliat Harris, program support unit manager. Beatty said the department’s staff provide factual, nonpartisan testimony and encouraged legislators to use Department of Revenue staff and the department’s "lunch and learn" sessions for education on tax issues.
Property Tax Division Administrator Paula Gilbert summarized the division’s scope: roughly 289 employees, 30 local offices, valuation of over 800,000 properties at 100% of market value under Montana Code Annotated 15-8-111, classification across 16 property tax classes, and certification of values to counties on the first Monday in August. Gilbert described methods for identifying new construction and changes in ownership and said the division administers statutorily directed treatments such as agricultural land classifications and property tax assistance programs.
Committee members had no immediate follow-up questions; Director Beatty urged members to contact department staff as bills move through the session and to participate in department briefings if helpful.
