Greetings, Beacon nation! With only five scheduled days remaining in the 69^th Montana Legislature, lawmakers on Wednesday adjourned early after ushering a stampede of bills — including a pair of property tax relief measures — out of their respective chambers and downstairs to the governor’s desk. As is customary, both chambers spent their final floor sessions expressing gratitude to colleagues and leadership.

In the House, that included an a capella rendition of a Jack Gladstone song from Rep. Neil Duram, R-Eureka, who delivered the lines of solidarity by Montana’s Troubadour in a lovely falsetto voice, singing: “You built bridges, you built walls. But now, we find you’ve built your spirit in us all.” Another Tobacco Valley lawmaker, Sen. Mike Cuffe (pictured above in 2017), also evoked a song lyric to conclude his fourth term in the Senate after having already served four terms in the House: “My legislative time is over. It’s time for me to find something else. As the song goes, ‘prop me up beside the jukebox when I die.’ Thank you all.” Amid the farewell ceremonies, Senate President Pro Tempore Ken Bogner, R-Miles City, presented a gift to Senate President Matt Regier, R-Kalispell: an iconic Charlie Russell painting titled “The Roundup.” Depicting an open-range cattle roundup common during the early 20^th century American Wild West, the symbolism of the painting held special significance as the sun set on this particular session.

“As a show of our appreciation, we want to give you this picture here of what we thought would be a good theme of a roundup,” Bogner said. “Because it has been a wild ride.”

The House adjourned sine die at 1 p.m. with the Senate following course a little more than an hour later.

I’m Tristan Scott, grateful to all of you, and with you today for a midweek Roundup of my own.

If it seems lawmakers chewed up the session’s final hour with handshakes and renditions of “Kumbaya,” chalk it up to relief. Property tax relief. The great property tax debate of the 69^th Montana Legislature finally crested Wednesday morning, with the final versions of two complementary tax reform measures — Senate Bill 542 and House Bill 231 — overcoming opposition from the business and ag lobbies to pass out of both chambers on final readings. While HB 231 was amended to such a degree that in its final version it effectively functions to coordinate the revenue department’s ability to carry out SB 542, the measures work in tandem to establish “homestead” property tax rates, lowering the tax burden on Montanans’ primary residences, long-term rentals and small commercial properties while raising them on those who don’t qualify; namely, second homes and short-term rentals.

“These bills today are adding complexity to an already incredibly complex system and adding cost to investment in the state,” Todd O’Hair, president and CEO of the Montana Chamber of Commerce, said this week in a committee hearing.

For supporters of the measure, however, those complexities were confronted last year by members of the governor’s Property Tax Task Force as they interrogated the crux of why property taxes have increased well beyond inflation for residential homes and businesses.

Sen. Dave Fern, D-Whitefish (pictured above), who served on the task force, bet correctly that the 2025 legislature wouldn’t leave town without passing a set of bills that collectively address the inequities of the current system — inequities that are on prominent display in the Flathead Valley. In supporting both HB 231 and SB 543, Fern characterized the measures as “fundamental property tax reform.”

“I think utilizing the high percentage of folks who are not primary owners, and you know I’m not down on millionaires and billionaires. I think they help our economy a lot,” Fern said earlier this month during an impassioned speech on the Senate floor. “But, as was said often in the task force, while they might be great neighbors, they receive services for which they do not pay income taxes. And I think Montanans need to get their fair share. So I think this is an equitable approach.”

Rep. Ed Byrne, R-Creston, expressed his support more succinctly: “This is all we got.”

Now let’s take a look at some of today’s top stories from northwest Montana and beyond …

At 12 years old, Bert is a gentle giant with a heart as big as he is. This long, lean feline boy isn’t chunky — just majestic — and he’s the epitome of a sweetheart. Whether he’s chasing after a laser pointer, pouncing on a wand toy, or curling up in your lap for endless pets, Bert knows how to bring joy to every moment. A social butterfly who gets along well with other cats and adores kids, Bert would make the perfect addition to a loving family. While he’s managing the early stages of kidney disease with a special diet, Bert doesn’t let it slow him down.

To find out more about Bert and other pet adoption opportunities at the Humane Society of Northwest Montana go to: www.humanesocietypets.com. To donate to the Humane Society of Northwest Montana, visit the organization’s donation page here.

You can also support the Humane Society of Northwest Montana by attending the Summer Shindig and Fundraiser on June 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Located at 100 Adopt A Pet Way in Kalispell, the event will feature a silent auction, food trucks, contests, raffle prizes, and more.