To the people who want to move to Montana to get away from big cities, people and enjoy "nature". (Heron: transplants, how much)

[MTSilvertip]

Most of the Horse Whisperer was shot around Big Timber, Livingston was the primary site for "A River Runs Through It"

Not to be picky as they are only 30 miles apart, but accuracy counts right??

Some of "river" was filmed in the Gallatin Canyon near Big Sky, but most of the river scenes are actually on Mill Creek, south of Livingston.

Funny thing about whisperer, they wanted the sun to rise in the west so when the local people went to see the film they thought it was hilarious to see the sun rising in the wrong part of the sky. The production filmed a sunset and played it backwards.

Ah that Movie "magic" LOL!!

[Mt-7]

Funny!

[AT-AT28]

Yes, and thank so you so VERY much out of staters for jacking up our real estate and housing prices the last 20 years to the point where cities like Missoula cannot sustain paying its people enough to actually own a home.

Thank you so freaking much, enjoy your stay here, don't mind the shiaty weather, its normal and don't let a griz fan run your ass over while enroute to a cat game.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by magoomafoo

We have jobs? The reason so many in Montana are going to the oil fields in N. Dakota is because the oil "boom" hasn't really started here. What you don't understand is that "MOST" Montanans that work out of state still "LIVE" here. The love for Montana is so deep locals are willing to go elsewhere for the work in order to raise their families here. Like I said, Montana is a sacrifice state.

AKA Poverty with a view!

[Mt-7]

Alrighty, how about a sales tax to pick up the out of staters who part time it or just vacation here?

[flyingcat2k]

Originally Posted by Mt-7

Alrighty, how about a sales tax to pick up the out of staters who part time it or just vacation here?

The problem with the sales tax is two fold.

1) Montana property and income taxes are high. If the legislature will CONSTITUTIONALLY abolish an income tax or property tax, Montanans would vote for a sales tax, likely at 8-9%. They could even include paying sales tax on home sales and it would probably pass. The abolition of sales tax is constitutional so to revoke it will require an amendment anyways. Even the "Resort Tax" in areas like Red Lodge has to have funky wording and triggers to allow it to remain constitutional.

2) Billings, Missoula and to a lesser extent Great Falls and Butte have retail sectors built on Montana having no sales tax. Putting in a sales tax would be very unfavorable and drive sales out of state. Why would Northern WY, Idaho, Canada and the Dakotas drive to Montana to buy Christmas presents if Montana has a sales tax?

Personally, I'd like to see the abolition of State property taxes (you'd still have to pay the school taxes as they are independent of Helena's grasp) and put the sales tax on all home sales. It would slow vacation home growth and allow senior citizens to stay in their home even if the value of the property is very high. Prices would eventually become closer for locals to buy in their market again.

[Mt-7]

Good points.
Just the idea of quitting the state income tax would sell me! Same issue in Oregon. All the burden is on the property owner and as value increases many of us were pushed out.

[GLS]

Originally Posted by Mt-7

Alrighty, how about a sales tax to pick up the out of staters who part time it or just vacation here?

One problem with targeting any one group, i.e. out-of-state vacationers is "unintended consequences". For example, if you trade off accepting a sales tax for abolishing the property tax, you make buying property in Montana more attractive to vacationers. Some of those people that just vacationed previously will drive up your housing prices more by buying, and more Montanans will be "pushed out" as you complained about.

[flyingcat2k]

Originally Posted by GLS

One problem with targeting any one group, i.e. out-of-state vacationers is "unintended consequences". For example, if you trade off accepting a sales tax for abolishing the property tax, you make buying property in Montana more attractive to vacationers. Some of those people that just vacationed previously will drive up your housing prices more by buying, and more Montanans will be "pushed out" as you complained about.

They're only pushed out if you don't tax home sales. If you put a 8-9% tax on the purchase of the home, it will act as a brake on vacation homes. As most 2nd home owners don't want to pay 90K in taxes to buy a 1MM home on top of closings and everything else. Plus, they aren't getting away from the school taxes so they will have continuing bills and you can't deduct mortgage interest on vacation homes. Montana does a decent job of checking, now, on people who call their vacation home their residence and then not filing state income taxes.

[alizbet]

I love -- breezing through these posts -- how so many people are arrogant and entitled about land development and 'wildlife.' Other animals -- living creatures are being killed, run over, buried over (all the borrowing animals), trying to feed their babies and find shelter along mall strips and gas stations -- most animals live less than 1.5 years (many just babies) amongst development -- because of cars, development -- if they last that long, and many have life spans from 20-30 years (if they were not hunted, and their land, trees, homes, weren't destroyed). TREES? Just develop, sell your land and develop. Sell it to a developer so 'we' can have cookie cutter homes and more dunkin donuts, malls and gas stations -- and tarmac. Well um, lessee -- if you have any biology or ecological sense about you -- trees buffer the weather. They keep it cool in the summer and shelter things in the winter. Low lying shrubs keep the ground intact (deep roots) and among many other benefits, cactus plants are homes to many birds, the plains -- well, destroy them all, like we originally did to the buffalo as the Native Americans watched in horror. Urban sprawl is atrocious. We need to build up. The influx of illegals and immigrants is also atrocious. People, God dang it, use birth control.