Town Hall · Plains

Plains, MT town hall & government

Plains spent $1 million in the year to June 30, 2022, about $920 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Plains's government.

Town budget · Census estimate

Where Plains's money goes

Spent
$1 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2022
Per resident
$920
typical Montana cities: $1,647
Long-term debt
$1.2 million
$1,037 per resident
Water & other utilities
$281,00027%
Police
$234,00022%
Sewer & trash
$209,00020%
Roads & transportation
$71,0007%
Parks & libraries
$65,0006%
Administration & buildings
$62,0006%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$27,0003%
Interest on debt
$22,0002%
Fire
$19,0002%
Other
$58,0006%

Where the money comes from

  • Property taxes 27%
  • Fees & charges 25%
  • From the state 23%
  • Utility sales 22%
  • Interest, fines & other 2%
  • Other taxes & licenses <1%

Plains didn't report all of its 2022 figures to the Census Bureau, so most of these numbers are the Bureau's estimates.

Town workforce

Who works for Plains

Full-time staff
7
11 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$68,100
a year, before benefits
Administration & buildings
1 full-time8 part
Fire
3 full-time
Courts, inspections & corrections
0 full-time2 part
Roads & transportation
1 full-time
Sewer & trash
1 full-time
Water & other utilities
1 full-time
Other
0 full-time1 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2022. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Plains K-12 Schools

Plains's K–12 school district. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$14,183
Montana: $13,570
Students
427
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$7,000
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Montana districts overall: 44% local, 39% state, 17% federal

  • Local 32%
  • State 45%
  • Federal 23%

Of the $14,183 per pupil, $7,960 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Property tax

What homeowners in Plains pay

Typical tax bill
$1,188
a year · Montana typical $2,693
Effective rate
0.48%
of home value · Montana 0.72%
Typical home value
$248,300
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the survey estimate has a wide margin.

Local

Contact Plains's government

🏛️ Official websiteplainsmontana.com ↗

Town hall & decisions in Plains →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Plains

Plains is represented in Congress by Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy and Representative Ryan K. Zinke. Greg Gianforte is governor.

All of Plains's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Plains

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