Billings Public Schools budget boosted by state revenue with property tax decline

As Billings School District 2 approves its budget for this school year, it confronts a notoriously convoluted school funding formula that just got more complicated.

Earlier this year, the Montana Legislature approved bills meant to provide permanent property tax relief, after tax bills soared across Montana. Property taxes are now tiered, complicating the amount homeowners will see reduced in their tax bill.

In an interview with the Gazette, the new legislation made it difficult even for top SD2 officials to answer the question of whether residents’ tax bills will increase or decrease, with a formulaic spreadsheet used in the past not enough to reach a solid conclusion.

Nonetheless, with a budget approved last week , Chief Financial Officer Laurie Kvamme cautiously stated that taxp