City tax valuation on the rise

Whitefish’s 2012 budget got a boost

last week when Flathead County Assessor Monty Long reported the

city’s taxable valuation was up 4.18 percent.

The valuation has increased every year

since 2000. The 4.18 percent increase follows last year’s increase

of only 1.6 percent.

Traditionally the value goes up because

of new properties and rising home prices, Whitefish Finance

Director Rich Knapp said.

The bump up this year is mostly due to

newly taxable property, which accounts for $710,377 of the general

valuation.

Knapp says the city was surprised by

the increase. The city’s preliminary 2012 budget estimated a

conservative increase of 0.8 percent.

“We don’t have a good explanation as to

why it increased,” Knapp said. “Following a low-growth year, we

wouldn’t have anticipated this.”

The 2012 general valuation is now at

$21.28 million.

Whitefish City Council will discuss

Aug. 15 what to do with the increase. About $70,000 was added to

property-tax supported funds, Knapp noted.

The additional money could be used to

increase cash reserves or council could levy fewer mills, among

other options.

“There are a lot of choices,” Knapp

said.