What is a Special Purpose District?
A special purpose district is a local government entity built around a specific purpose, like an irrigation or a hospital district. These districts are designed to better serve residents of that community. This year, voters in Bozeman, Belgrade, and Gallatin County areas in between will vote on the creation of a new Urban Transportation District!
What is an Urban Transportation District (UTD)?
A UTD is an entity created to operate the transportation system. It includes a governing board charged with managing the operation, infrastructure, and activities of the Streamline. The UTD is needed because of the population growth within Gallatin County so that Streamline can continue to receive federal transit funding. Streamline helps people get around without a car and there are no taxes attached to a yes vote!
- A yes vote means: You will vote to keep our streamline bus system running.
- A no vote means: You will vote against keeping our current publicly available transportation.
Forward Montana has officially endorsed the ‘YES for Streamline Campaign’.
To join Team Streamline signup here: https://yesforstreamline.org/
WTF is a Levy?
A levy on a ballot asks voters to agree to a property tax to collect a set dollar amount for a set amount of years.
WTF is a Bond?
A bond is a process in which a community finances a project through the municipal bond market, by selling bonds, and paying the interest and principal using property taxes.
Bozeman High School District General Fund Operating Levy
This levy would help pay for the day-to-day operational costs of Bozeman’s high schools including salaries, textbooks, supplies, utilities, etc. Homeowners with an assessed value of $500,000 would pay increased annual property taxes of $8.65.
- A yes vote means: Voting for a levy to help pay for operational costs of high schools in Bozeman.
- A no vote means: Voting against a new levy and against paying for operational costs of high schools.
Bozeman High School District Building Reserve Fund Safety Levy
This levy would be used to pay for the costs of school security including school resource officers. If approved, this levy would remove safety-related costs from the general fund. Homeowners with an assessed value of $500,000 would pay $13.50 in increased annual property taxes.
- A yes vote means: Voting for a safety fund levy that would pay for security related costs and free up those costs in the general fund.
- A no vote means: Voting against a safety fund levy that would pay for security related costs within the Bozeman school district.
Bozeman Elementary District Building Reserve Fund Safety Levy
This levy would be used to pay for the costs of school security including school resource officers. If approved, this levy would remove safety-related costs from the general fund. Homeowners with an assessed value of $500,000 would pay $27 in increased annual property taxes.
- A yes vote means: Voting for a safety fund levy that would pay for security related costs and free up those costs in the general fund.
- A no vote means: Voting against a safety fund levy that would pay for security related costs within the Bozeman school district.
Belgrade High School General Fund Levy
This levy would help pay for the day-to-day operational costs of Belgrade’s high school including salaries, textbooks, supplies, utilities, etc. For a home with a market value of $200,000, this levy would cost approximately $15.23 in increased annual property taxes.
- A yes vote means: Voting for a levy to help pay for operational costs of the high school in Belgrade.
- A no vote means: Voting against a new levy and against paying for operational costs of the high school.
Belgrade Elementary School General Fund Levy
This levy would help pay for the day-to-day operational costs of Belgrade’s elementary schools including salaries, textbooks, supplies, utilities, etc. For a home with a market value of $200,000, this levy would cost approximately $7.72 in increased annual property taxes.
- A yes vote means: Voting for a levy to help pay for operational costs of the elementary schools in Belgrade.
- A no vote means: Voting against a new levy and against paying for operational costs of the elementary schools.
Belgrade Regional Park, Trails & Recreation District Creation/Bond
This vote is on the creation of a Regional Park, Trails and Recreation district to provide park and recreation services and maintenance in Belgrade. A separate vote is on issuing general obligation bonds for the purpose of creating an Aquatics Center with an indoor pool in Belgrade. For every 100,000 in assessed market value of a property, a homeowner would pay $70.39. If someone’s home is assessed at $200,000 they would pay $140.78 in increased annual property taxes.
- A yes vote means: You support the creation of the Belgrade Regional Park, Trails, and Recreation District along with funding for a new Aquatics Center through this bond.
- A no vote means: You do not support the creation of the Belgrade Regional Park, Trails, and Recreation District and will not support funding the Aquatics Center through this bond. .
