2025: Aaron Flint Expressed Skepticism About A Law That Lowered Property Taxes For 80% Of Montana Homeowners Because Of Its Impact On People With Second Homes, Including Airbnb Owners

2025: Flint Was Skeptical Of Montana’s New Property Tax Law, Speculating That People Would Lose Their Second Homes And Defending Airbnb Owners

VIDEO: November 2025: In Discussing The Property Tax Law, Flint Said The Governor “Felt He Probably Had To Sign It” Due To The “Heavy Weight Of Needing To Deliver Residential Property Tax Relief For Primary Homes.” BRAXTON MITCHELL: “So we’re going to see a big fight about that in the primaries about who voted with that and the effects of it. We won’t see the full effects of it until the next November, but I think again property taxes are the top– you know, top of mind for a lot of folks because of the major increase, especially in the Flathead that we’ve seen just since COVID and we know the massive flux of folks that have moved here.” FLINT: “That’s my biggest concern with this property tax. Look, I get it. The legislature– and this is probably why the governor felt he probably had to sign it, is they really felt the heavy weight of needing to deliver residential property tax relief for primary homes, for people raising their kids, raising their families. But, but my big concern is that there's going to be this great replacement.” [Flint Report via YouTube, 22:57, 11/24/25] (VIDEO)

VIDEO: November 2025: Flint Said He Worried That A Lot Of Montana Families Would Lose Their Second Homes Due To The Property Tax Law. FLINT: “The legislature– and this is probably why the governor felt he probably had to sign it, is they really felt the heavy weight of needing to deliver residential property tax relief for primary homes, for people raising their kids, raising their families. But, but my big concern is that there's going to be this great replacement. Like you say, I don't have a family cabin. I wish we had a family cabin. I wish we had a place on the lake. You know, like, when I grew up and my grandparents had their house, you know, right there, kind of, you know, close to Flathead Lake. But I just worry that, that basically, a lot of these Montana families that have passed these cabins down generation to generation are going to lose them. And then you just get wealthy out-of-staters that'll come in and buy up all those properties. And we as Montanans, you might go to a various lake or a various outdoors area, and all of the property is owned by people that aren't even Montanans, that aren't even from Montana. And it's just really sad when you think about the impact that could have on Montana culture. And look, I get it that apparently, you know, I know the people that voted for it are saying, well, you know, 80% of Montana homeowners are going to see decent property tax relief, but the businesses got their taxes going up.” [Flint Report via YouTube, 23:20, 11/24/25] (VIDEO)

• VIDEO: November 2025: Flint: “But I Just Worry That, That Basically, A Lot Of These Montana Families That Have Passed These Cabins Down Generation To Generation Are Going To Lose Them.” FLINT: “The legislature– and this is probably why the governor felt he probably had to sign it, is they really felt the heavy weight of needing to deliver residential property tax relief for primary homes, for people raising their kids, raising their families. But, but my big concern is that there's going to be this great replacement. Like you say, I don't have a family cabin. I wish we had a family cabin. I wish we had a place on the lake. You know, like, when I grew up and my grandparents had their house, you know, right there, kind of, you know, close to Flathead Lake. But I just worry that, that basically, a lot of these Montana families that have passed these cabins down generation to generation are going to lose them. And then you just get wealthy out-of-staters that'll come in and buy up all those properties.” [Flint Report via YouTube, 23:20, 11/24/25] (VIDEO)

VIDEO: In Discussing Residential Property Taxes, Flint Defended Airbnb Owners In Montana, Saying, “Maybe The Airbnb Was How You’re Sending Your Kid To College.” FLINT: “And not just the big businesses, but individual, you know, small business owners as well. And then second homeowners, cabins, people that Airbnb. Well, maybe the Airbnb was how you're sending your kid to college. And so yeah, my big thing is I, I get it that they felt they had to deliver residential property tax relief. But with budget surplus after budget surplus after budget surplus, why did anybody's taxes have to go up? And how are we going to rebuild our industrial base when we raise taxes on business? So that's why I fully think somebody's got to, they've got to do a ballot initiative or something to cap property taxes at what's, at the purchase price instead of always basing it off of appraisals that never seem to be going down anyway.” [Flint Report via YouTube, 24:31, 11/24/25] (VIDEO)

November 2025: Under The Property Tax Law, 80% Of Residential Properties Saw Tax Bills Decrease

November 2025: Montana Department Of Revenue: 80% Of Residential Properties Saw Their Tax Bills Decrease Under The New Property Tax Legislation. “Analysts at the Montana Department of Revenue have compiled a voluminous pile of data about the year-one effects of the legislation, passed as House Bill 231 and Senate Bill 542. […] A separate tally by the department estimates that, as a result of the legislation, 80% of residential properties saw their tax bills decrease versus last year, with 11% seeing increases. If legislators had left the state’s tax code unchanged, it estimates that 62% of bills would have increased and only 13% would have decreased.” [Montana Free Press, 11/26/25]

Montana’s 2025 Property Tax Law Saved Median Residences Hundreds Of Dollars. [Montana Free Press, 11/26/25]

Image: see original report, p. 49

[Montana Free Press, 11/26/25]

Flint Expressed Concern About Small Businesses Seeing Their Taxes Increase, But Under The 2025 Property Tax Law, Most Commercial Properties Saw Taxes Decrease

VIDEO: November 2025: Flint: “I Know The People That Voted For It Are Saying, Well, You Know 80% Of Montana Homeowners Are Going To See Decent Property Tax Relief, But The Businesses Got Their Taxes Going Up.” FLINT: “And it's just really sad when you think about the impact that could have on Montana culture. And look, I get it that apparently, you know, I know the people that voted for it are saying, well, you know, 80% of Montana homeowners are going to see decent property tax relief, but the businesses got their taxes going up. And not just the big businesses, but individual, you know, small business owners as well. And then second homeowners, cabins, people that Airbnb. Well, maybe the Airbnb was how you're sending your kid to college.” [Flint Report via YouTube, 24:12, 11/24/25] (VIDEO)

• VIDEO: Flint: “And Not Just The Big Businesses, But Individual, You Know, Small Business Owners As Well.” FLINT: “And it's just really sad when you think about the impact that could have on Montana culture. And look, I get it that apparently, you know, I know the people that voted for it are saying, well, you know, 80% of Montana homeowners are going to see decent property tax relief, but the businesses got their taxes going up. And not just the big businesses, but individual, you know, small business owners as well. And then second homeowners, cabins, people that Airbnb. Well, maybe the Airbnb was how you're sending your kid to college.” [Flint Report via YouTube, 24:12, 11/24/25] (VIDEO)

Montana’s 2025 Property Tax Law Decreased Tax Rates For Most Commercial Properties. [Montana Free Press, 11/26/25]

Image: see original report, p. 50

[Montana Free Press, 11/26/25]

Commercial Properties Worth Up To About $575,000 Saw Lower Effective Tax Rates, While Higher-Value Properties Paid Higher Rates. “Lawmakers were also concerned that their efforts to lower homeowner taxes would spill over onto commercial properties, particularly ones owned by small businesses. As a result, they included provisions aimed at lowering taxes for less valuable commercial properties, similarly to how comparatively modest homes were treated. The department’s analysis indicates that the commercial provisions included in the 2025 tax rates have generally had the intended effect. Commercial properties worth up to approximately $575,000 have benefited from lower effective tax rates this year, while higher-value commercial properties have paid higher rates.” [Montana Free Press, 11/26/25]

Flint Repeatedly Made The Unconventional Suggestion To Stop Basing Property Taxes On Home Values

2025: Flint: “We Need To Scrap The Way We Base Property Taxes Based Off Of The Value Of Your Home.” “Because of the rising property values, folks are seeing constantly rising property taxes- and we've been seeing that since the 90's if not earlier. If you ask me, that's why we need to scrap the way we base property taxes based off of the value of your home.” [Montana Talks, Aaron Flint Column, 8/18/25]

2024: Flint Said The “Liberal Media” Did Not Want People To Question The System And “The Flaw In Basing Property Taxes Off Of Property Values.” “What the liberal media is NOT telling you about Montana property taxes: 1. They don't want you to question the system: the flaw in basing property taxes off of property values.” [Montana Talks, Aaron Flint Column, 4/2/24]