Guest Opinion: There is a way for Montana residential property taxes to go down this year

This column was originally published at https://dailymontanan.com.

The upcoming property tax year could be a little easier on homeowners and renters than last year.

The operative word in that sentence is could. Here’s why this year could be easier, not a slam-dunk “will be easier.”

Three policy-generated numbers mathematically merge in a complex equation to determine what you pay in property taxes: 1) the state’s assessed value of your property; 2) the state’s tax rate applied to your property; and 3) every city and county’s total ask in taxes for the year (for the sake of simplicity, schools...