SEATTLE – KTVQ News was honored with a Regional Emmy Award this weekend for Best Evening Newscast, recognizing in-depth coverage of a complex and pressing issue: the dramatic rise in property taxes across Montana.
The award-winning newscast, produced in Billings and recognized by the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, centered around skyrocketing tax bills hitting homeowners across the state and one high-profile exception.
The coverage told in part the story of a Bozeman couple hit hard by the surge. Tony and Deborah Newville returned to Bozeman after decades away, stunned to learn their tax bill soared to as much as $1,000 a month.
Watch the award-winning report here:
Property taxes skyrocket, but not for Montana’s Governor
The Newvilles’ experience is part of a larger trend: homeowners across Montana saw tax increases following the latest property reappraisal cycle, driven by skyrocketing home values in a hot real estate market.
MTN News also uncovered that Gov. Greg Gianforte’s Helena home saw a decrease in its tax bill and only a slight increase in his Bozeman property due to an agricultural exception.
The newscast provided context from homeowners, policy experts, and tax officials explaining how reappraisal rates, local jurisdiction spending decisions, and a dramatic rise in residential property values led to a major shift in the state’s tax burden, one that fell disproportionately on homeowners.
MTN News
The KTVQ team also reported on efforts to offset the financial strain, including a property tax rebate program backed by the governor that offered up to $1,350 to qualifying Montana homeowners.
The award was presented to Keagan Harsha, MTN statewide News Director, during a ceremony in Seattle on Saturday night. KTVQ competed against other top newsrooms across the Northwest region.
Courtesy
Read the original story here: Property taxes skyrocket statewide, but not for Montana’s governor’s properties
