2003 Montana Legislature

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SENATE BILL NO. 155

INTRODUCED BY TAYLOR

BY REQUEST OF THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE


AN ACT REVISING THE TAXATION OF CLASS EIGHT PROPERTY BY PROVIDING THAT THE COMPUTATIONS FOR DETERMINING WHETHER THE CLASS EIGHT RATE IS TO BE REDUCED ARE TO BE MADE AT LEAST 1 YEAR AND 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE AFFECTED TAX YEAR TO ALLOW FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION; CLARIFYING THE DATA USED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO CALCULATE THE PERCENTAGE GROWTH INFLATION-ADJUSTED MONTANA WAGE AND SALARY INCOME FOR DETERMINING WHETHER THE CLASS EIGHT TAX RATE IS TO BE REDUCED; AND AMENDING SECTION 15-6-138, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE AND A TRANSITION PROVISION.

 

AN ACT REVISING THE TAXATION OF CLASS EIGHT PROPERTY BY PROVIDING THAT THE COMPUTATIONS FOR DETERMINING WHETHER THE CLASS EIGHT RATE IS TO BE REDUCED ARE TO BE MADE AT LEAST 1 YEAR AND 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE AFFECTED TAX YEAR TO ALLOW FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION; CLARIFYING THE DATA USED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO CALCULATE THE PERCENTAGE GROWTH INFLATION-ADJUSTED MONTANA WAGE AND SALARY INCOME FOR DETERMINING WHETHER THE CLASS EIGHT TAX RATE IS TO BE REDUCED; AND AMENDING SECTION 15-6-138, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE AND A TRANSITION PROVISION.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

 

     Section 1.  Section 15-6-138, MCA, is amended to read:

     "15-6-138.  (Temporary) Class eight property -- description -- taxable percentage. (1) Class eight property includes:

     (a)  all agricultural implements and equipment that are not exempt under 15-6-201(1)(bb);

     (b)  all mining machinery, fixtures, equipment, tools that are not exempt under 15-6-201(1)(r), and supplies except those included in class five;

     (c)  all oil and gas production machinery, fixtures, equipment, including pumping units, oil field storage tanks, water storage tanks, water disposal injection pumps, gas compressor and dehydrator units, communication towers, gas metering shacks, treaters, gas separators, water flood units, gas boosters, and similar equipment that is skidable, portable, or movable, tools that are not exempt under 15-6-201(1)(r), and supplies except those included in class five;

     (d)  all manufacturing machinery, fixtures, equipment, tools, except a certain value of hand-held tools and personal property related to space vehicles, ethanol manufacturing, and industrial dairies and milk processors as providers as provided in 15-6-201, and supplies except those included in class five;

     (e)  all goods and equipment that are intended for rent or lease, except goods and equipment that are specifically included and taxed in another class;

     (f)  special mobile equipment as defined in 61-1-104;

     (g)  furniture, fixtures, and equipment, except that specifically included in another class, used in commercial establishments as defined in this section;

     (h)  x-ray and medical and dental equipment;

     (i)  citizens' band radios and mobile telephones;

     (j)  radio and television broadcasting and transmitting equipment;

     (k)  cable television systems;

     (l)  coal and ore haulers;

     (m)  theater projectors and sound equipment; and

     (n)  all other property that is not included in any other class in this part, except that property that is subject to a fee in lieu of a property tax.

     (2)  As used in this section, "coal and ore haulers" means nonhighway vehicles that exceed 18,000 pounds per axle and that are primarily designed and used to transport coal, ore, or other earthen material in a mining or quarrying environment.

     (3)  "Commercial establishment" includes any hotel; motel; office; petroleum marketing station; or service, wholesale, retail, or food-handling business.

     (4)  Class eight property is taxed at 3% of its market value.

     (5)  (a) If, in any year beginning with tax year 2004, the percentage growth in inflation-adjusted Montana wage and salary income, in the last full year for which data is available, is at least 2.85% from the prior year prior to the base year to the base year year, then the tax rate for class eight property will be reduced by 1% each year until the tax rate reaches zero.

     (b) For each tax year, the base year is the year 3 years before the applicable tax year and the target year is the year 2 years before the applicable tax year.

     (b)(c)  The department shall calculate the percentage growth in subsection (5)(a) by October 30 of each target year by using the formula (W/CPI) - 1, where:

     (i)  W is the Montana wage and salary income for the most current available calendar base year divided by the Montana wage and salary income for the year prior to the most current available calendar year prior to the base year; and

     (ii) CPI is the consumer price index for the most current available calendar base year used in subsection (5)(b)(i) (5)(c)(i) divided by the consumer price index for the year prior to the most current available calendar year prior to the base year as used in subsection (5)(b)(i) (5)(c)(i).

     (c)(d)  For purposes of determining the percentage growth in subsection (5)(a), the department shall use the bureau of economic analysis of the United States department of commerce Montana wage and salary disbursements, fall SA07 (state annual) for the target year the wage and salary data series referred to as the bureau of economic analysis of the United States department of commerce Montana wage and salary disbursements.

     (e) Inflation must be measured by the consumer price index, U.S. city average, all urban consumers (CPI-U), using the 1982-84 base of 100, as published by the bureau of labor statistics of the United States department of labor.

     (6)  The class eight property of a person or business entity that owns an aggregate of $5,000 or less in market value of class eight property is exempt from taxation. (Repealed on occurrence of contingency--secs. 27(2), 31(4), Ch. 285, L. 1999.)"

 

     Section 2.  Effective date -- transition. (1) [This act] is effective on passage and approval.

     (2) The department of revenue shall perform the calculation in 15-16-138(5) for the tax year 2004 not later than [60 days after the effective date of this act].

- END -

 


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