Three Missoula economic and business groups announced their support on Tuesday for a proposed $1.8 million county infrastructure mill that is meant to increase funding for road and bridge projects.
The $1.8 million mill levy, placed on the ballot by the Missoula County Commissioners in August, will be decided by Missoula County voters during the Nov. 4 local election.
The Missoula Economic Partnership, Missoula Association of Realtors and Missoula Chamber of Commerce said in a joint statement the additional tax revenue is needed to catch up with aging infrastructure.
“This levy ensures first responders can reach residents quickly and that roads and bridges remain safe and open for everyone,” a letter from the three groups said. “… We believe this is a responsible and necessary step to keep Missoula County moving forward.”
The Missoula County Public Works Department has roughly $7.1 million dedicated to road and bridge work. Of that, $4.5 million is set aside for county employee wages and benefits.
Roughly $550,000 is used for road and bridge repair projects, including materials, engineering and as local match dollars for larger federal grants.
Infrastructure concerns have grown as county bridges have either been weight-restricted or closed altogether. Seeley Lake’s Boy Scout Bridge closed in November 2023, while the Sunset Hill Road Bridge in Greenough closed in September.
Several efforts to get federal funding for some projects have been unsuccessful, the Missoulian reported. Two grant proposals to fix Boy Scot Bridge and Sunset Hill Road Bridge were not accepted last year.
In July, the federal government also pulled a $24.5 million grant to build out Highway 200 in East Missoula with sidewalks, bike lanes and a wider passage under a railroad trestle.
Some federal grants have been successful, however, like the $3 million Lolo Street Bridge project in the Missoula Rattlesnake Neighborhood.
The letter from the three business organizations said the benefits of adding $1.8 million toward the county’s budget outweigh the tax implication, which they estimated to be roughly $2 per month for the average homeowner.
For a $600,000 home, the ballot measure would add $26.21 per year if approved, the Missoulian previously reported.
The group said that even with the tax increase, the county could gain millions of additional federal funding by having a larger base of funds to apply for federal grants.
“Passing this levy not only increases available county infrastructure repair funds to $2.3 million annually, but also enables critical eligibility to apply for state and federal matching grants,” the letter read. “Local support through a dedicated levy is the key to unlocking millions of dollars already set aside with bipartisan backing
The letter from the three groups was signed by Missoula Organization of Realtors CEO Jim Bachand, Missoula Economic Partnership President and CEO Grant Kier and Missoula Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Chad Bauer.
If approved, the levy would be added to property tax bills in fiscal year 2027.
Griffen Smith is the local government reporter for the Missoulian.
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