Originally published in the 5/12/17 print edition of the Yellowstone County News.
YELLOWSTONE COUNTY— A change in how the Montana Department of Revenue (DOR) assesses mobile homes means that many mobile home owners will see an increase in their taxes – and owners will receive their assessments and tax bills later than usual.
Assessments are expected to increase 15 to 19 percent, as DOR switches to using comparable sales to determine value, rather than a cost-method used previously, according to Robin Rude, DOR regional manager. Rude and Sherry Long, Yellowstone County treasurer, brought the matter to Yellowstone County Commissioners last week to give them a heads-up of what they anticipate to be a lot of questions from taxpayers, and perhaps appeals.
Some of the 7,700 mobile home owners in Yellowstone County may find that their valuations decrease.
Rude explained that they are using the comparable cost method this year because they have established comparable sales models, which were not previously available.
The assessments will be mailed out during the week of May 22, which is later than usual because the agency was waiting for … Read full story in Yellowstone County News by subscribing online.