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Top 10 taxpayers shift with times [Missoulian (MT)](Missoulian (MT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Who has the highest property taxes in Missoula? NorthWestern Corp. is No. 1 when it comes to "taxable assessed value," and Qwest Communications is No. 2, according to the 2012 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and Audit. Who was tops on the list in 2003? Also NorthWestern and Qwest, but the phone company held the top spot, and the power company sat in second place. Over the past decade, some companies have fallen off the top 10 list, and others have joined it. The trends reflect a surge in one segment of the technology industry, said city finance director Brentt Ramharter. "It's just the growth of the cellphone industry, I'm sure," Ramharter said. "It's just the telecommunications aspect. Qwest Communications is obviously huge because they're the land lines, the phone company." In 2003, Bresnan was nowhere to be found in the top 10, but in 2012, it was ranked No. 3 on the list of principal property taxpayers. Verizon is No. 6 and AT&T is No. 8 - and those companies also didn't make the list in 2003. Three companies have fallen off the charts since 2003. Walmart, which Ramharter said is probably still "right on the bubble, was No. 7, and Montana Rail Link, part of Washington Corp., was No. 8. "We think of them as so big," Ramharter said of Washington Corp. "So when you unbundle them, they're actually a whole bunch of companies." Woodmont Missoula LP was No. 9; it's a commercial real estate firm based in Texas, and its website notes it owns property on North Reserve Street. No. 10 on the current list is First Interstate Bank, which hadn't made the top list in 2003. Others in the top 10 are Mountain Water Co., Southgate Mall, Gateway Limited Partnership (also part of Washington Corp.) and St. Patrick Hospital. (c) 2013 The Missoulian |