I’d like to share some thoughts on voted bonds and levies. Property taxes fund most budgets of local governments and public schools. Sometimes these entities ask voters for special levies or bonds that are added to our property tax bill if it passes. Most times these requests are for a good cause. Some voters may say yes to a levy because they can afford the increase in taxes, but the yes voters aren’t the only ones that pay if the levy passes. All property owners pay. By voting yes, the voter is also saying all property owners must pay as well. There may be elderly on fixed incomes, single parents or disabled individuals that would financially struggle to stay in their homes if taxes are increased. A yes vote affects more than an individual voter. What can be an alternative to property taxes and accompanying voted levies/bonds? Several decades ago, timber sales in Flathead County funded much of our schools’ budgets. As the timber industry declined, property taxes increased. Montana is rich in natural resources. We need to get over environmental hysteria and use mining, logging, drilling and grazing to pay for local government needs. Technology today can extract/log responsibly and the beneficiaries of our treasures will be those that live here.
Keith Regier
Kalispell