MONTANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY

Volume 52, Number 4, Winter  2014

Property Taxes in Montana's Largest Cities

by

Douglas J. Young

This article examines property taxes in Montana's largest urban areas - Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell, and Missoula. Tax rates - also known as mill levies - are the highest in Missoula and lowest in Bozeman.

by

Mike Kadas

The Department of Revenue revalues - or reappraises - residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and forest properties once every six years. The department uses three approaches to valuing property: sales comparison, cost, and income.

UM Provides Students with a Pathway to Success

by

Shannon Furniss

The UM Business School has a number of classes and programs in place to help students pursue entrepreneurship as a career path and to take their ideas from the classroom to the boardroom. Some programs are: the Montana Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs (MADE), Entrepreneurship Seminar Series, Business Plan Competition, Blackstone Launchpad, Montana Technology Enterprise Center (MonTec).

UM Student's Technology Helps Make Ranching More Profitable

by

Shannon Furniss

Running a ranch with vast landscapes and numerous livestock can be complicated, but a UM student has a technology that he thinks will make ranching more sustainable and profitable. And his business venture is promising enough that he was selected as a finalist at Blackstone Launchpad's recent Demo Day in New York City

by

Paul E. Polzin

The new shale energy revolution has been an economic boon to manufacturers, with lower energy costs having a major impact on the industry. And worldwide trends that have caused manufacturers to move their operations offshore - low wages in developing countries and lower energy costs - are beginning to trend the other way.

by

James T. Sylvester

Snowmobiling is a significant sport in the state, with significant economic impacts. Nearly 57,000 snowmobiles are registered in Montana. Residents used these snowmobiles about 1.2 million days during the 2013-2014 season. Nonresidents added another 97,000 days.