Taxes Rising Despite Rural Opposition

For the third time in three years a countywide bond issue has passed with Missoula city voters in favor and rural voters opposing it. Rural voters were also outvoted in the county commissioner race this year like they were in 2014.

The $30 million bond to pay for a new public library in Missoula passed countywide with 58 percent of voters saying “yes” to 42 percent “no” votes.

However, rural voters in Clinton, Frenchtown, Lolo, Seeley Lake, Potomac and the Swan Valley voted down the bond with 45 percent “yes” to 55 percent “no.” Voters in these precincts made up nearly 9,000 of the 58,000 vote...