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Montrose council adopts 2025 levy after Truth in Taxation hearing as residents voice concern
Summary
City staff presented the proposed 2025 levy and budget at a Truth in Taxation hearing; council approved Resolution 2024-41 after residents raised questions about assessment calculations and steep increases on some properties.
City of Montrose staff presented final levy information at a Truth in Taxation public hearing, saying the city is considering "a 17.61 increase over 2024, bringing our levy to 2.1, roughly," and that an estimated tax-capacity drop of about 8.62% (from roughly $4,175,000 to $3,800,000) is a major contributing factor to the increase.
At the podium, resident Irv Walkman identified himself and urged staff to check county assessment calculations for commercial properties, saying his own bill would jump from $6,785.98 in 2024 to a projected $9,867.10 — "the proposed rate is up over 45% from what it was a year ago," he said. Another resident, Michael Kelling, noted Montrose’s average increase appeared larger than a nearby town’s and asked whether shared infrastructure costs, such as treatment-plant work, were driving the change. Council members and staff said decreased tax capacity and planned street and infrastructure projects (including multi-hundred-thousand-dollar road projects) are key drivers.
Council discussed the trade-offs of raising rates now to pay for planned projects versus staging increases. One councilmember framed the decision as proactive: "We need to start planning out better," they said, noting that some road projects would not be possible without additional revenue. After discussion, the council voted to approve Resolution 2024-41, authorizing the city’s 2025 final property tax levy and budget.
