The Bozeman City Commission approved a two-year operating budget totaling $689 million in resources and narrowly endorsed an Opportunity Zone application for Census Tract 6 during the June 23rd meeting. The Opportunity Zone designation, a federal program offering tax incentives for investments in low-to-moderate-income areas, drew divided discussion. Director of Economic Development Britt Fontenot acknowledged the city would have no control over what types of projects receive investment, with potential developments subject only to existing zoning and regulatory processes. Commissioner Sweeney opposed the measure on moral grounds, citing concerns about tax incentives for wealthy investors. The application passed 4-to-1 after commissioners voted to exclude Census Tract 11.02 from the proposal.
The budget adoption included a significant addition: a $76.1 million City Shops complex to house street maintenance, parks, and forestry operations. Finance Director Melissa explained the facility would be funded through debt split among water, wastewater, and stormwater enterprise funds and special assessment districts, with a projected monthly residential impact of $23.76 to $28.33 in coming years. The commission also approved $150,000 for the C Bozeman Creek planning effort and removed a $19 million Fire Station Number 4 line item pending a broader priorities discussion scheduled for August. The overall budget passed unanimously.
Earlier in the meeting, Mayor Morrison acknowledged a child's death on Bozeman streets last week, describing it as an avoidable tragedy that compounds earlier losses in the community. The commission also announced the city's annual Fourth of July fireworks at the fairgrounds at 10 p.m., funded entirely by private businesses with no taxpayer money, and previewed a new social media series called "Bozeman at Work" highlighting city employees.