Billings council advances vehicle‑noise ordinance and directs staff on FY27 property‑tax approach

The council approved, on first reading, revisions to the noise chapter that tighten enforceable language for motor‑vehicle noise and add mandatory civil penalties for violations. Police leadership and legal staff briefed council on enforcement challenges and a judge’s guidance to make offenses clearly provable. Council settled on mandatory minimums for the ordinance and extended the window for counting repeat offenses (final edit adopted during first reading).

Chief of Police explained the ordinance provides officers with an additional tool to address excessive vehicle noise when observations are clear and vehicle identity can be established; he noted body/worn cameras and squad video can help create evidence. Legal counsel provided draft language that imposes a mandatory $300 fine for a first offense and $500 for a subsequent offense within a defined look‑back period; council adjusted the look‑back period to 24 months. Council asked the chief for an enforcement update after six months of implementation.

On budgeting, finance staff reviewed Montana’s recent property‑tax statute changes and presented two basic approaches for the city’s charter‑limited levy: option 4a (transition voted mills to a dollar‑based approach and move to the floating‑mill framework) and option 4b (adopt a new cap equal to 2025 revenues). Staff recommended option 4a because statutory drafting and preliminary revenue modeling indicate option 4b would likely produce a ~2% revenue reduction (roughly $1.1M) affecting general fund and public‑safety resources. After discussion and a brief public comment opportunity, council directed staff to develop the FY27 budget under option 4a and to return with details in the May–August budget schedule.

Councilmembers emphasized that the direction is guidance, not a final levy setting; the final mills will be set in August/September when council adopts FY27 tax levies.