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MT Department of Revenue is closing some field offices due to budget constraints

Posted at 9:05 AM, Jul 03, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-03 11:05:22-04

The Montana Department of Revenue is in the process of closing half of its field offices across the state as part of an effort to work within budget constraints.

    The revenue department previously had a field office in every county, working with residents and county governments on appraisals and other tax matters.

    Because of budget cuts made during the 2017 legislative session, revenue officials chose to downsize operations in those field offices.

    Revenue Director Gene Walborn says some counties may lose an appraiser altogether, but others will just work from home.    

    "We’re looking at tele-working employees, we’ve gone down that road.  We’ve had some of that in the past, but not a lot, so we’re expanding that," explains Walborn.  "So even though we may be closing an office in a county, we still might have an appraiser in that county doing appraisal work.  They may just be working out of their home."

     Property Assessment Division Administrator Shauna Helfert adds that residents can use whichever field office is most convenient, it doesn’t have to be located in their county of residence.  And many inquiries can be handled through other means.

    "Although we’ll have some appraisers in those counties, either full-time or periodically, their won’t be an office, a physical office for them to visit,’ says Helfert.  "But they’re welcome either to visit our website, make a phone call to the Dept. of Revenue, or to stop by one of those other field offices."

    The department of revenue has already closed 15 field offices.  Those include Granite, Powell, Liberty, Judith Basin, Pondera, Big Horn, Blaine, Wheatland, Carter, Wibaux, Jefferson, Beaverhead, Glacier, Broadwater, and Deer Lodge.

    They are tentatively planning to close 13 more by February 2019.

    – July 31, 2018: Petroleum, Prairie and Sweet Grass

    – October 31, 2018: Chouteau, Daniels, McCone, Meagher, Mineral, Rosebud and Teton  

    – February 28, 2019: Golden Valley, Powder River, and Roosevelt

Field offices will remain open in 28 counties across Montana.

    Online resources include:

    Montana property owners looking for the field office nearest them…. page down a bit to “Visit One of Our Offices.”

     mtrevenue.gov/contact

    Local Government Property Assessment Assistance (for county governments):

    mtrevenue.gov/government/pad-local

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