Katie Fairbanks

While Chitty, a builder and ProHousing Missoula member, is used to “slogging it out in the trenches of zoning,” most people don't think about the rules that help make neighborhoods what they are, he said. ProHousing is trying to change that as the city undergoes a major update to its growth policy and development regulations.

The cost to repair and maintain Missoula County's roads and bridges is far outpacing revenue, prompting an addition to the November ballot — a mill levy that would raise about $1.8 million annually for public infrastructure.

MISSOULA — Gov. Greg Gianforte this week requested that President Joe Biden declare a disaster for Missoula's late July windstorm that caused widespread damage and left thousands without power.

MISSOULA — The Missoula City Council on Monday passed a 2025 budget increasing taxes by nearly 17%, more than half of which was approved by fire

During a Wednesday work session, the Missoula County commissioners decided to remove the five-mill levy from the general election ballot to give the Montana Legislature a chance to implement property tax reform during its 2025 session. The commission will vote on the decision Thursday.

The July 24 storm, which included wind gusts of 80 to 100 mph, damaged thousands of the city's trees, with 600 and counting knocked down or slated for removal, according to the city's urban forestry department. The storm exacerbates challenges facing Missoula's urban forest due to climate change, aging trees and insufficient maintenance.

Thousands of trees across Missoula contain hazards, and more than 600 have been or will be taken down.

MISSOULA — The Missoula County commissioners Thursday passed a 2025 budget with a 4.2% property tax increase over last year, higher than anticipated because the county saw lower-than-expected growth in its taxable value.

A Free Press Fest panel explored what funding changes are needed to address challenges facing Montana school districts.

MISSOULA — Overcrowding in Montana's prisons is leaving more state inmates waiting in county jails, and Missoula County officials are asking the state to take the inmates it's responsible for or pay the county the full cost of holding them.