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(Big Sky Connection) October 1 is the deadline for Montana residents who qualify to apply for a property tax rebate.

The State Legislature passed the measure during its last session.

Jason Sleade, communications director with the Montana Department of Revenue, said people can qualify for as much as $675 in property tax rebates - if they lived in the state for at least seven months in 2023 and owned a residence for that long.

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"Single family homes and apartments. Condominiums. Trailers, manufactured homes, mobile homes," said Sleade, "and that's also including up to one acre of surrounding land."

That amounts to about 215,000 Montana homes and 3,200 small businesses.

Critics have said the temporary rebate program isn't enough to offset the effects of a recent property tax increase, among the biggest in Montana's history.

Even though the deadline to file is not until October 1, the state has already issued more than $130 million in property tax rebates this year, which Sleade said boosts local economies.

"Last year, in 2023, we sent out a total of about $142 million," said Sleade. "That money's going right back into your local governments, and people are happy to get that money and do the things they want to do with that."

In addition to applying online, Sleade said Montana residents can also get help by visiting one of the revenue department's field offices around the state - which could be especially helpful for folks in rural areas.