BUTTE — There has been a lot of talk about tax relief in the 2025 Montana Legislature, and one tax bill that is moving through the legislature right now could impact homeowners across Montana. But some are asking if it will give property owners the tax relief they need.
"I think it’s going to cost you a lot of money if you don’t care. I think it's that simple," says Mike Jopek.
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Jopek is a farmer and former legislator from Whitefish who is traveling around the state to talk about how Senate Bill 542 might impact Montanans. He is deeply familiar with Montana's property tax history and has been suggesting that legislators adopt the tax method that was adopted when he was working on the issue in 2005.
"The state revalued your home twice. They pretty much doubled the value, so it used to be $400k, and now your home is $800k. They kinda ratcheted it up. They give you a little sale price. You think you got something off while they’re still kind of really sticking it to you," says Jopek.
He says if Senate Bill 542 passes, some homeowners may receive a one-time rebate payment of $400, but property values will rise even more than they did under an original tax hike that took effect almost two years ago.
Jopeck says the reappraisal cycles have more than doubled homeowners’ taxes, and the new legislation will not give Montanans relief. A different set of graduated rates would apply to homestead-eligible properties starting in 2026, and people who own a modest cabin in the woods or a second home for their elderly parent will not see relief.
"So, if you had a $300K home, it’s now a $600K home for tax purposes. These are regular Montanans that are getting overtaxed, and for some reason lawmakers in Helena keep thinking that everybody who lives in Montana is super rich because your home values went up. Well, it’s not like you can sell your home and move somewhere else because you can’t afford that next home either," says Jopek.
Senate Bill 542 is still making its way through the Montana Legislature.
