Cattlemen join CI-121 lawsuit
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News from the MCA
VAUGHN — The Montana Cattlemen’s Association (MCA) is joining the lawsuit seeking to stop Constitutional Initiative -121 which would freeze property taxes for wealthy, largely out-of-state, homeowners. The suit was initially brought by the Montana Federation of Public Employees; Montana Farmers Union; Jeff Barber, a Helena realtor; Ron Ostberg, a farmer from Fairfield; and Dennis McDonald, a rancher from Melville. MCA is proud to join with these organizations and individuals in opposing this blatant attempt by out-of-state interests to receive special property tax breaks.
MCA President Gilles Stockton says that “CI-121 is all about greed and arrogance. Wealthy out-of-staters are buying property and homes in the ‘Last Best Place’ but seek to not pay their fair share of taxes to keep our children in school, maintain our roads, or pay our peace officers. Should they succeed in passing CI-121 they will shift the tax burden even more onto the backs of farmers and ranchers. Residential homeowners may think that they too will benefit from lower taxes on their homes, but that is false. The ultimate goal of CI-121 is to starve our county and city governments to such an extent that the only recourse will be to enact a sales tax which will primarily impact working and middle-class Montanans, along with farmers and ranchers. The best tax system is one where everyone pays their fair share.”
The lawsuit maintains that both the Montana Attorney General and Secretary of State failed to fulfill their legal obligations under HB 651 when reviewing CI-121, a constitutional initiative that fundamentally changes the way property taxes are established.
