Page 27 - Flathead Beacon // 6.25.14

FLATHEADBEACON.COM OPINION UNCOMMON GROUND Mike Jopek
Ninth Grade Math
JUNE 25, 2014 | 27
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DURING THE WANING DAYS OF the 2009 Montana Legislature, I felt defeated. I knew in my heart and gut that because of the Legislature’s boneheaded property tax reappraisal approach, the pocket books of older citi- zens like Gladys, Agnes and June would be hit hard.
The last reappraisal mirrored the market boom years of 2002 to mid-2008, and nowhere were property speculators more active than the Flathead. When the subsequent market took a nosedive from Wall Street’s betting many home- owners felt values were underwater.
Maybe it was all those math classes I took in college, but I found the reams
they would fix their mess if reelected. No fixes materialized.
The next reappraisal is up. The aver- age market is flat from 2008 levels and region wide we recovered much loss since the Great Recession. But many homeowners will still see change.
Expect oil boom counties to experi- ence extraordinary market valuation increases. The 5 million acres of agricul- tural lands in Montana should brace it- self for the market conditions given how crops like wheat and alfalfa that did par- ticularly well in proceeding years.
Most traditional homeowners in the Flathead will likely not see much change. Lake property will likely see increases.
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“I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT THOSE WHO BUILD OUR COMMUNITY ... SHOULD NEVER BE TAXED OUT OF THEIR HOMES.”
Most of these tax outliers felt the brunt of the last process. Given that most lake owners no longer live in their homes, it is quite simple to cap taxes. An ap- proach I favor, but strong- ly opposed by many.
For local taxing juris- dictions, any base losses will simply be settled by higher mill levies. At half the rate of inflation over three years, it seems be- nign. But given how new construction is calculated and the billions of valua-
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of information provided by the Montana Department of Revenue quite compel- ling. The formula told you that without proper mitigation, homeowners would be stung with higher taxes. Any ninth grade math student should have seen it coming.
Most Republicans did not believe me or the volumes of data. Then, like now, over simplistic political rhetoric rules the vote. Many wanted to transform the bills into vehicles to provide tax bennies to special interest groups.
Even today there are no lobbyists in Helena who solely represent the interest of people living in their homes. Mistak- enly I thought that was the job of a leg- islator.
Since the GOP’s committees would not permit a tax cap approach, the Mon- tana House embraced a simple philoso- phy: be fair to all but cater to the elder- ly, the poor, the disabled veterans and homeowners who would experience ex- traordinary escalations in value.
The Senate had a vastly different outlook, and time proved them wrong. Many local Republicans proceeded to travel across the county explaining that
tion wealth in the valley’s tax base, bills may increase. Really, when was the last time a homeowner saw their tax bills go down?
I am a firm believer that those who build our community, who invested all their lives to assure that people like us have good educations and great quality of live, should never be taxed out of their homes.
The next Legislature will not do what I recommend. They will not do what you recommend either. They will play geo- politics with select cities’ mill caps, and cater to lobbyist who will feed them more steaks and liquor than thought hu- manly possible to stomach.
The Legislature must stop meddling about, listen to the department’s data, and then lawmakers should cap taxes for people who live in their homes. That’s the same benefit offered to farm land and forest land.
Many politicians will tell you that taxes are complicated, like calculus. Tax formulas are like ninth grade math. Pay attention, someone always gets a break at the end of the Legislature. I hope it is people who live in their homes.
Mike (Uncommon Ground) Jopek and Dave (Closing Range) Skinner often fall on op- posite sides of the fence when it comes to political and outdoor issues. Their columns alternate each week in the Flathead Beacon.