15-10-203. Increase of tax revenue -- advertisement of intention and public hearing required.

15-10-203. Increase of tax revenue -- advertisement of intention and public hearing required. (1) A local taxing authority may not budget an increased amount of ad valorem tax revenue in excess of the property tax revenue of the previous fiscal year exclusive of revenue from ad valorem taxation on properties appearing for the first time on the property tax record unless it adopts a resolution to budget additional property tax revenue. Prior to adoption of the resolution, the taxing authority shall hold a public hearing for the purpose of receiving comments on its intention to budget increased property tax revenue. The taxing authority shall advertise notice of the public hearing as specified in subsection (2). The public hearing may be held in conjunction with the tentative budget hearing or any other budget hearing that may be required by law.
(2) The taxing authority shall advertise its intent to budget an increase in property tax revenue in a newspaper meeting the requirements of 7-1-4127, except that the newspaper may not be primarily in the business of publishing legal advertisements. If there is not a newspaper in the county, in addition to being posted as required in 7-1-4127, the advertisement must be published in one or more newspapers of general circulation widely subscribed to by the residents of the county. The advertisement may not be placed in that portion of the newspaper where legal notices and classified advertisements appear. The advertisement must meet the notice requirements of 7-1-4127. The advertisement must be published with at least the following information:

"NOTICE OF BUDGET INCREASE FROM PROPERTY TAXES

     The (name of the taxing authority) intends to budget an increase in revenue from property taxation by (percentage of increase in property tax revenue from previous fiscal year) percent.
     All concerned persons are invited to attend a public hearing on budgeting the increased property tax revenue to be held on (date and time) at (meeting place).
     A decision on budgeting the increased property tax revenue will be made after considering comments made at this hearing.
     For further information please contact: (name, address, and phone number of person who can be contacted for further information)."

History: En. 84-7203 by Sec. 3, Ch. 286, L. 1974; R.C.M. 1947, 84-7203; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 581, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 39, Ch. 370, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 817, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 72, Ch. 27, Sp. L. November 1993; amd. Sec. 67, Ch. 430, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 68, Ch. 354, L. 2001.

Provided by Montana Legislative Services