mills

Missoula legislators write, "The Land Board, working with the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, should fully evaluate different strategies for maintaining the existing mill infrastructure in Montana."

With less than three weeks to find a buyer for a Seeley lumber mill, some Missoula legislators are asking the state land board for some leadership in keeping the mill open.

Missoula County on Tuesday approved a resolution allowing the Montana Association of Counties to represent it in a suit before the Montana Supreme Court regarding school equalization mills and how many it's required to levy.

The Montana Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered all 56 counties in Montana to submit responses during the next month to a request from the Montana Quality Education Coalition that the court require each county to levy the full 95 state education equalization mills as some counties try to levy less from their residents because of property tax increases.

Citing standing Montana law, Missoula County on Thursday joined other counties across the state in levying fewer mills than what the state believes it's entitled to through school equalization.

Missoula County on Tuesday placed its official support behind an effort lead by Beaverhead County that's challenging the state's “consistent” levying of certain mills despite a provision in Montana law that requires a reduction in mills when taxable values increase.