Bigfork Fire Department is putting a 20-year bond for up to $15 million before voters this fall for a new fire station and upgrades to its current facilities, according to the department’s Public Information Officer Al Benitez.  

The Bigfork Fire Department Board of Trustees voted last week to put the bond and a mill levy before voters in a Sept. 9 special election to address infrastructure and staffing deficiencies.  

The proposed permanent mill levy would raise $1.2 million the first year, which will go toward staff, operations, training and equipment, Benitez said.  

Calculating the annual tax increases for these proposals has been more difficult than in recent years because of revisions to property tax laws by the Montana Legislature, Benitez said. Multiple bills targeting property tax relief were signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte this spring, including SB 542, which taxes second homes and short-term rentals at a higher rate. 

Homestead qualified residences, which are primary homes, will be taxed at a marginal rate due to these changes. If a primary home is valued at $600,000, the first $50,000 of that will be taxed at 0.76%, the value between $50,001 and $500,000 will be taxed at 0.95% and the remaining value will be taxed at 1.15%. In addition to these changes, there will be a $400 rebate the first year 

New tax assessment values are scheduled to be released by the Montana Department of Revenue in early August, but the ballots will have been certified before that announcement and therefore won’t include concrete figures on annual tax increases, according to a document outlining tax increase estimates from the fire department.  

In working with Flathead County, the fire department’s bond counsel and bond underwriter, Benitez said they calculated conservative estimates. 

The estimates only look at homes that qualify as homestead-qualified properties.  

If the proposed mill levy passes, the owner of a home with a market value of $300,000 can expect an annual tax increase of $74.73. Owners of homes valued at $600,000 can expect an annual tax increase of $157.47, according to Benitez.  

If the bond measure passes, the owner of a home valued at $300,000 will see an annual tax increase of $75.61. Owners of homes valued at $600,000 will see an annual tax increase of $159.31.  

The mill levy will appear on the 2025-2026 tax rolls, and the bond will appear on the 2026-2027 tax rolls, if the measures pass.  

Benitez said the department will continue to give updates about the proposals as they get more information.  

“It's a conservative estimate. We believe the number probably will be a little bit lower, but to give an idea ... There are 17 different classes of property in Montana, each one is going to have their own tax calculation,” Benitez said.  

In a release detailing the proposals, Bigfork Fire Department officials said they are experiencing increased calls for service while grappling with aging buildings, outdated equipment and limited staff.  

If approved, the bond will fund a new fire district headquarters and Station 31 on 8.65 acres owned by the fire district, designed to serve Bigfork for the next 50 years. It will also pay for repairs and upgrades to Station 32 and Station 33 facilities.  

The mill levy would support the hiring of additional firefighters (increasing the on-duty staff from three to up to five per shift), improve firefighter pay to attract and retain skilled personnel, purchasing of additional safety gear and equipment for new and current firefighters, as well as provide enhanced training, including specialized certifications.   

The mill levy would also ensure continuing round-the-clock availability for their EMS services. 

The Bigfork Fire Department’s Board of Trustees bought the 8.65 acres in June of 2020 from Carol and Ronald Pierce for the board approved the purchase of the Pierce property at approximately $29,000 per acre, with interest estimated at around 2%. 

Reporter Taylor Inman can be reached at 406-758-4440 or by emailing [email protected].