We provide various resources for counties, including documents to help with the annual budgeting process, federal payments, survey results, and more.
MACo Resources
- Acronyms Commonly Used by MACo
– Alphabet Soup: Government Acronym Guide (This document is geared toward federal acronyms.) - ARPA – American Rescue Plan Act
– Local Assistance & Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF)
– State & Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) - Available for Purchase
– Directory of County Officials
– County Identification Cards
– Name Badges - Broadband Resources
- Contact Us
- Election Resources
- Inmate Medical Program
- MACo Policy Committees
- MACo Risk Sharing Services
- MACo General Counsel Services
- MACo & LGC Townhalls (Videos)
- MACo & MLCT Land Use Training & Updates (Videos)
- MACo Travel Expense Voucher
- Opioid Settlements Toolkit
- Property Taxes in Montana
- Calculate Your Mileage
- Travel Reimbursement Rates
- Model Personnel Policies, Job Descriptions & Manual
- So You Want to be a County Commissioner
General County Information
Montana’s Counties
Administration
Property Taxes in Montana
Budget Resources
- BARS Chart of Accounts (DOA Website – Look under “Accounting & Annual Financial Support Resources”)
- MT DOA Local Government Services (DOA Website)
– County Budget Document (Look under “Budget Resources”)
– Reported County & City Budgets & Annual Reports (Look under “Local Government Reports) - County Budget Preparation Checklist
- Consumer Price Index (CPI)
- County Classifications (2007-2011)
County Classification was repealed by HB 212 in the 2011 Legislature and is no longer used for any purpose. In most cases that county classifications were used for some purpose, the counties’ taxable values have replaced the classification system. - County Debt Limit
- County Jail Per Diem Worksheet
– Memo/Additional Information - Intercap Loan Program
- Salary Information
– County Elected Officials Salary Surveys
– County Positions Salary Survey
– Sheriff & Deputy Salary Determination Worksheet (2008) & Explanation of Calculations
– County Attorneys Salaries Legislative History - SB 117 Fact Sheet (2025 Legislative Session)
- Taxable Values
– County & City Certified Taxable Values Website (DOR) - Financial Assistance Programs
Available to fund water, wastewater, and solid waste projects in Montana
Calculation Forms
- Determination of Permissive Levy for Group Benefits Worksheet
- Mill Levy Computation Form
– Inflation Factor for Mill Levy Calculation
– Mill Levy Tracking Template (FY 2025) - Special Mill Levy Calculation Spreadsheet
- SRS Calculation for Permissive Levy
- Determination of Proposed Increase in Property Tax Revenue Form & Budget Resolution (SB 332 – 2023 Legislative Session)
- Property Tax Rate Calculator (File must be extracted from .zip file.)
State Payments
- Entitlement Share
- Fuel Tax History, Mileage & Allocations
– Bridge and Road Safety and Accountability Act
(The BaRSAA restricted account was repealed June 30, 2023. Remaining funds were distributed September 1, 2023.) - Local Option Vehicle Tax History – Archive (Spreadsheet is no longer maintained. As of FY 2025, data is available to counties via the State’s new system.)
Federal Payments
- ARPA – American Rescue Plan Act
- Federal Forest Payments & SRS
– Federal Forest Payments & History
– Fund Distribution Worksheet
– 2006 Loss Charts
– FFY 1984-1999 Federal Forest Payments History
– Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (SRS) - Federal Mineral Royalty Payments & History
- Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT)
– PILT Payments & History
– PILT Program Presentation
– Official PILT Website
– MACo White Paper: PILT & Prior Year Payments
White Papers
- Advocacy
– Political Activity for Public Officials (White Paper)
– Political Activity for County Employees & Public Officials (Fact Sheet) - Candidate Filing Fees
- County Disposal of Real and Personal Property
- Drug & Alcohol Use in the Workplace
- Marijuana & Local Government
- Public Meetings
– Open Meetings & Public Participation (White Paper)
– Recording Open Meetings (White Paper) - Opioid Settlement
– Access Toolkit Here - PILT & Prior Year Payments
- Procurement / County Purchasing
- Tax Increment Financing Calculations
- Weapons in Public Buildings
Regulations & Model Resolutions
Disaster Declaration & Emergency Proclamation
Land Use, Planning & Development
Montana Subdivisions & Surveying
Family Transfer – Division of Land (HB 714 – 2025)
Nonpartisan Election Ordinance Samples
Property Taxes
- Property Taxes in Montana
- SB 117 Fact Sheet (Property Tax Legislation Impacting Local Increases – 2025 Legislative Session)
- HB 231 & SB 542 Summary of Changes (Significant Property Tax Legislation – 2025 Legislative Session)
SB 332, Require Property Tax Increase Information to be Included in Budget Discussions (2023)
School Safety
SB 35, Generally Revise School Safety Laws (2019)
Special Districts
- Statutory Authority (2021)
Transportation
NACo Resources
- National Association of Counties
- County Explorer
- NACo Live Healthy U.S. Counties Program (Prescription, Health & Dental Discount Program)
- NACo Deferred Comp Program (Nationwide Retirement Solutions)
- NACo Purchasing Program (OMNIA Partners)
Other Resources (Associations, Congressional Delegation, State)
Montana Associations
- Montana Association of Planners (MAP)
- Montana County Attorneys’ Association (MCAA)
- Montana League of Cities & Towns (MLCT)
- Montana Municipal Interlocal Authority (MMIA)
- Montana Newspaper Association (MNA)
- Montana Public Health Association (MPHA)
- Montana Sheriffs & Peace Officers Association (MSPOA)
- Montana Taxpayers Association (MTA)
- Montana Weed Control Association (MWCA)
Montana Members of Congress
Contacts
Websites
State of Montana
- State of Montana
- Local Government Services Bureau
- Montana Local Government Center (MSU)
– Montana Local Government Board Handbook: A Guide to Serving on Boards, Districts, Commissions and Committee - Montana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP)
Montana Department of Justice
- Attorney General’s Opinions (1993-present)
- Archive – AG Opinions (1899-1992)
Montana Secretary of State
Montana State Library