Montana Supreme Court says counties wrong on 95-mill tax issue
The Montana Supreme Court Wednesday ruled against Montana county governments in a dispute over the Montana Department of Revenue’s authority to order the full collection of the 95-mill state-level school equalization levy, a formerly obscure piece of tax bills that became a flashpoint this fall as state and local officials contended with frustration over rising property taxes.
The ruling means that the 49 of 56 Montana counties that chose to collect a lower, 77.9-mill rate on tax bills sent to property owners this fall will likely have to make up the difference when they mail their next round of semi-annual tax bills in the spring.
“I’m amazed,” Beaverhead County Commissioner Mike McGinley said of the ruling, which was issued by justices the day before Thanksgiving. “I guess I’m going to have to donate this turkey and go get some crow.”
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