At the end of the 2025 legislative session, Democrat leaders praised a massive tax-shift bill, which they helped pass despite objections from conservative Republicans. The bill was rushed and broken, but Democrats and a handful of self-identified “Republicans” got it over the finish line at the last minute, ignoring warning after warning from fiscally responsible conservatives who really understood the situation.

Now, the bill’s true nature is coming to light. Recent reporting revealed that a so-called mistake in the legislation will result in many Montanans paying more for rent. Due to its hasty assembly, the monstrosity of a bill raised property taxes on many multifamily parcels, like apartment buildings. Who ends up paying those increased property taxes? Renters.

Democrats saved the bill then touted it at their end-of-session press conference. So, now they need to own its negative consequences.

Instead of returning funds to Montana taxpayers directly, as the bill I sponsored would have done, Democrats and their grow-government allies like Sen. Jason Ellsworth and Rep. Llew Jones just shifted around the tax burden and moved millions of dollars into state government coffers. Ironically, the bill’s backers are now floating the idea of a rebate to incentivize landlords not to pass the property tax increase down to renters.

The Montana Republican Party has been working hard to make sure that real property tax relief gets passed in 2027. A big part of their effort is ensuring that the best possible Republican candidates are elected to office and that they arrive in Helena prepared to advance the conservative agenda mandated by Montana voters.

We can’t stop Democrats from supporting legislation that raises taxes and grows government, but we can stop that sort of unprincipled policy from gaining ground in our own party. Montanans expect Republicans to support lower taxes, less government, and stronger families.

Don’t let Democrats and their cronies fool you. They raised Montanans’ taxes under the pretense of lowering them. The voting records of fiscally responsible, conservative Republicans speak for themselves — we opposed this legislation from day one.

When Montana renters write a bigger check in the coming months, they should remember the easiest solution to making it smaller again: voting real Republicans into office and kicking the people who raised their taxes out.

Senator Carl Glimm

Senate District 3

Published in Lee Enterprises newspapers, the Montana Sentinel, November 8, 2025
https://montanasentinel.press/2025/11/08/montana-renters-footing-the-bill-for-democrat-backed-tax-shift/