by Nathan Boddy
The Hamilton City Council approved a preliminary budget for fiscal year 2025 during their regular meeting on Tuesday, June 18th. Hamilton Financial Administrator, Craig Shepherd, told the councilors that Montana statutes require a preliminary budget be in place.
“The primary purpose of approving the preliminary budget at this time is so that the city can accept and expend money from the beginning of July 1 to the time that the final budget document is actually approved.” Shepherd said the finalized budget would likely be prepared in August, but that certain items were still forthcoming and in need of finalization.
Shepherd said that any change which occurs between now and the completion of the final budget in August will be summarized for the council. “Those are essentially amendments to the preliminary budget,” he said.
During public comment on the budget, Hamilton resident, Eric Sutherland, offered comments which he hoped the council would find helpful.
Sutherland began by mentioning the statewide increase in property taxes in Montana, and asked rhetorically if Montana’s revenue generation is the right mechanism for the state.
“Is Montana really on the right path?” said Sutherland. “We’ve seen, and continue to see, a pretty sizable shift in our economics with the advent of online shopping.” He said that online sales have the effect of displacing retail. Sutherland then mentioned several local retailers, and listed Amazon as a unique case.
“Amazon competes in our market,” he said. “The big difference, in my mind, is that (local retailers) are paying property taxes. They’re supporting the local schools.”
Sutherland then said that he did not feel as though the current tax structure in Montana is sustainable, and that the solution is to, “begin making the case for sales tax on online sales.”
“It’s about leveling the playing field so that Ace Hardware is not operating at a disadvantage because it’s supporting our collective enterprise, whereas Amazon and its customers are not.”
Montana, along with only Delaware, New Hampshire, Alaska and Oregon, does not have a sales tax.
Several members of the Soroptimist International of Hamilton were present as the Council considered their request to allow a trailer to be parked within Hieronymus Park during this year’s Turbo Turtle Race on June 29th. The event is to raise funds for SAFE in the Bitterroot, which provides crisis services and emergency shelter for survivors of domestic and partner abuse.
The turtles themselves, all 2000 of them, are made of plastic and in need of sponsorship (adoption) before their swim in the canal. Several packages for adoption of the turtles are offered by the Soroptimists, ranging from $5 for a single turtle to an entire ‘herd’ of 26 for $100. Prizes of $500, $250 and $100, respective for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winning turtles, will be awarded.
More about the event and links to sponsor turtles can be found at: https://www.duckrace.com/montana.
Hamilton Director of Parks and Urban Forestry, Amy Fox, gave an update to the council in regards to tree damage sustained by recent strong winds. One such tree, a Green Ash which stood on Fourth Street alongside the Bitterroot Public Library, was so heavily damaged that she saw no option other than its removal.
Luckily, the tree caused no substantial property damage and no one was injured, but with events planned for the thoroughfare and the close proximity of the library’s gazebo, she said, “I was not comfortable with it remaining.”