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Montana committee hears proposal to let counties tax tourist transactions to offset property taxes
Summary
Sponsors of House Bill 489 told the Local Government Committee the proposal would let counties place an optional tourist-transaction tax on the ballot and use revenue as property-tax credits; supporters cited bipartisan outreach and poll support while business and rural groups warned of administrative, equity and Wayfair-related problems.
Representative Greg Oblander, sponsor of House Bill 489, told the Local Government Committee that the measure — which he called the Local Option Property Tax Relief Act — would allow counties to place an optional tax on select tourist transactions and use most of the proceeds to offset property taxes for primary residences and long-term rentals.
Oblander described the bill as voluntary for counties and the result of bipartisan stakeholder work. "This is totally on the counties and their local voters," he said, emphasizing local choice and guardrails that exclude SNAP-eligible groceries, medicine and basic hygiene items from the tax base.
Proponents said the tax targets tourist spending on items such as lodging, rental cars and restaurant meals and would return roughly 90% of collections to the county where the revenue was raised as a property-tax credit. Jennifer…
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