HELENA, MT — Americans for Prosperity–Montana (AFP–MT) today launched a statewide accountability campaign targeting lawmakers who supported HB 231 — a progressive-style property tax bill that protects local government’s reckless spending at the expense of Montana citizens.
HB 231 does nothing to control local government spending and instead pours gasoline on the fire by giving lawmakers political cover.
“Montana local governments do not have a revenue problem — they have a spending problem,” said Jesse Ramos, AFP–Montana State Director and former Missoula City Council member. “I’ve been in those budget meetings. As long as local governments are allowed to recklessly spend, taxes will continue to rise — no matter how lawmakers try to put lipstick on a pig.
“This isn’t reform — it pours gasoline on the fire. This bill attempts to address a symptom of the disease while making the underlying disease — government spending — worse than ever.
“Property taxes are already pushing people out of their homes,” Ramos said. “Montanans wanted spending control. They got a bill that protects the system that caused the problem. “Montanans expect fiscal responsibility. Lawmakers who voted for this chose government over the citizens they claim to represent.”
The bill increases pressure on farmers, ranchers, family cabins, hunting properties, and small businesses, while giving local governments more room to keep expanding budgets. Supporters of the bill like to take a classist, progressive view that the problem is about who pays the bill, not the waste that is in the bill.
AFP–MT warns that what little property tax relief was seen is temporary and will be made up with more tax increases as fast as legally possible. All that has been accomplished is a net tax hike — some residents will pay it now, others will pay it later, but the net effect is government grew and the people lost.
AFP supported several reforms over the years that would have significantly addressed the problem, such as a Local Taxpayer Bill of Rights in 2023 and tax increment financing (TIF) reform in both 2023 and 2025.
Annually, over $100 million is taken with TIF/TEDD money and over $200 million in TIF/TEDD debt. This money is used for special projects and corporate welfare, and if local governments were serious about reducing property taxes, they would tap into these funds instead of going back to the taxpayers.
Statewide data illustrates the problem. In Missoula County, $19 million is annually skimmed away from taxpayers in TIF/TEDD; in Gallatin, it’s $25 million; in Billings, it’s $15 million; and in Flathead, it’s $25 million.
A taxpayer bill of rights (TABOR) would have put citizens back in control of their government by requiring that spending increases above inflation plus population be approved by the voters. This is a common-sense bill that fixes the problem.
AFP–MT’s accountability campaign will include mail, digital advertising, radio, and grassroots outreach informing voters how lawmakers voted and how HB 231 affects taxpayers.
AFP–Montana will continue pushing reforms that address the root cause of rising property taxes: unchecked local government spending.
© 2026 AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. | PRIVACY POLICY
Receive email alerts to learn how to get involved
