COLSTRIP, Mont. — Montana Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ryan Busse unveiled his property tax plan on Thursday and attacked incumbent Governor Greg Gianforte.

Busse, along with lieutenant governor candidate Raph Graybill and former Democratic governor Brian Schweitzer, virtually unveiled a three-stage proposal just hours after Gianforte’s property tax working group released its written report.

Busse’s plan includes a reduction in the tax rate, lower taxes and a reduction in bureaucracy.

The three men focused on the Republican-dominated legislature’s decision not to cut the residential property tax rate last session. A 2022 Montana Department of Revenue memorandum estimated that tax rates would need to be cut from 1.35% to 0.94% to keep tax rates unchanged.

Busse also attacked the task force that recommends that taxes be passed with 60 percent of voters rather than a simple majority.

“Between his recent property tax increase and this passionate, open attempt to make it difficult for local governments to do what the people of a community want to do, this is as anti-local control as it gets,” Busse said.

The task force is “at best a wasteful diversion,” the Democratic candidate said, claiming that in many cases taxes would rise under the group’s newly unveiled plan.