Bozeman couple’s property tax bill doubled
- Dan and Carol Webster of Bozeman said their Gallatin County property tax bill jumped from about $25,000 in 2024 to $53,000 in 2025 after Montana’s new tax system took effect. - The Websters said the increase was 107% in one year, even as state officials said roughly 80% of Montana homeowners saw lower bills under the 2025 overhaul. - Gallatin County says owners can challenge appraisals within 30 days, and Montana now taxes homes under a new tiered system for 2025 and 2026. (gallatinmt.gov)
Dan and Carol Webster said their Bozeman-area property tax bill more than doubled in a year, climbing to about $53,000 for 2025. (ktvq.com) The Websters told KTVQ their bill was about $25,000 in 2024, making the new total a 107% increase. They said they built the home in 2005 after moving to Montana 26 years ago. (ktvq.com) KTVQ reported the Montana Department of Revenue now values the property at more than $5 million after roughly a 1,400% increase over two decades. The couple said their annual tax bill once stayed below $10,000. (ktvq.com) The case landed in the first full tax years after Montana rewrote its property tax system through Senate Bill 542 and House Bill 231. The new structure uses tiered rates in 2025 and 2026 and is meant to lower taxes for many primary residences while shifting more burden to higher-valued and non-primary homes. (news.mt.gov) (mtcounties.org) Gov. Greg Gianforte’s office said in November that more than 235,000 homeowners received a rebate and that 80% of Montana homeowners got a property tax cut under the reforms. Montana Public Radio and other state outlets reported another slice of homeowners saw bills stay flat or rise. (news.mt.gov) (mtpr.org) Rep. Llew Jones, a Republican lawmaker who helped shape the overhaul, told KTVQ that lowering taxes for one group does not reduce the total amount collected statewide and can raise taxes for others. He also said rising market values pull more tax burden toward fast-appreciating properties. (ktvq.com) Gallatin County says property owners have 30 days from the date on a classification and appraisal notice to file an AB-26 review with the Montana Department of Revenue or appeal to the county tax appeal board. The county says the current two-year assessment cycle uses a January 1, 2022 valuation date. (gallatinmt.gov) Gallatin County’s treasurer also says 2025 real property taxes are billed through the county system and that the second half is due June 1, 2026. Questions about assessed market value or appeals go to the Montana Department of Revenue’s Bozeman office, not the treasurer. (gallatinmt.gov) For the Websters, the issue is no longer abstract tax policy. It is whether a retirement home they built by hand can still fit inside a 2025 tax bill. (ktvq.com)
