Refinery’s tax protests leave Great Falls’ schools in a budgetary bind

Refinery’s tax protests leave Great Falls’ schools in a budgetary bind

To avoid a budget shortfall, Great Falls Public Schools will likely request this year’s tax proceeds from its largest taxpayer at the risk of paying some of the money back later. Calumet, which operates a petroleum refinery and biorefinery in Great Falls, challenged its state property valuations for the 2022, 2023 and 2024 tax years. As a result, the company has paid at least $6.5 million in property taxes in protest. That money is held in escro…