Montana Title 7. Local Government § 7-33-2109. Tax levy, debt incurrence, and bonds authorized--voted levy for volunteer firefighters' disability income or workers' compensation coverage

(1) At the time of the annual levy of taxes, the board of county commissioners may, subject to 15-10-420, levy a tax upon all property within a rural fire district for the purpose of buying or maintaining fire protection facilities, including real property, and apparatus, including emergency response apparatus, for the district or for the purpose of paying to a city, town, or private fire service the consideration provided for in any contract with the council of the city, town, or private fire service for furnishing fire protection service to property within the district. The tax must be collected as are other taxes.

(2) Subject to 15-10-425, the board of county commissioners may levy a tax upon all taxable property within a rural fire district for the purpose of purchasing disability income insurance coverage or workers' compensation coverage for the volunteer firefighters of the district as provided in 7-6-621.

(3) The board of county commissioners or the trustees, if the district is governed by trustees, may pledge the income of the district, subject to the requirements and limitations of 7-33-2105(1)(d), to secure financing necessary to procure equipment and buildings, including real property, to house the equipment.

(4) In addition to the levy authorized in subsection (1), a district may borrow money by the issuance of bonds to provide funds for the payment of all or part of the cost of buying or maintaining fire protection facilities, including real property, and apparatus, including emergency response apparatus, for the district.

(5) The amount of debt incurred pursuant to subsection (3) and the amount of bonds issued pursuant to subsection (4) and outstanding at any time may not exceed 1.1% of the total assessed value of taxable property, determined as provided in 15-8-111, within the district, as ascertained by the most recent assessment for state and county taxes prior to the incurrence of debt or the issuance of the bonds.

(6) The bonds must be authorized, sold, and issued and provisions must be made for their payment in the manner and subject to the conditions and limitations prescribed for the issuance of bonds by counties under Title 7, chapter 7, part 22.