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Bill proposing county-level base levy draws debate over tax equity and distribution
Summary
House Bill 156 would replace district-level non-voted base levies with county-level mills to equalize property-tax capacity and adjust guaranteed-tax-base distributions; proponents say most jurisdictions would see modest tax relief while opponents call the measure premature and urge study before making permanent changes.
Representative David Beatty told the committee House Bill 156 would replace district non-voted general fund base levies with a county-level mill levy, with the objective of equalizing property-tax capacity across school districts and improving the effectiveness of guaranteed tax base (GTB) subsidies. Beatty said initial modeling suggests most taxing jurisdictions would see modest mill reductions, with a median mill decrease in early modeling and some variation across counties.
Lance Melton (MTSBA) testified the bill addresses wide disparities in the ability to raise revenue across Montana school districts, noting examples where one mill…
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