MISSOULA – Missoula citizens are bracing for property tax hikes from the city and the county. But now, officials say the county hike will be a little less that first forecast, although the savings in dollars may only amount to single digits.
Initially, Missoula County had asked for a 11-mill levy increase, but now they will only be asking for just over 8-mills.
On a $200,000 home that works out to a savings of just over $6.
The reason for the drop in cost was the estimate of a Tax Increment Financing District near the airport, which closed in July after being used to set aside money for economic development for the past 20 years. When it was set up in the 1990s, the tax value was only $176,000, but now is more than $2 million because of growth on the west side.
Now that money will be going back into the general tax revenues for Missoula County.
