Item:

Area home prices fell 3.4 percent in August from August 2009.

Item:

…Tax Assessor Garrett Alexander told commissioners that preliminary figures show that overall market values of properties are up by about 12 percent over 2003 levels, based on sales occurring since 2009

Hello? Doesn’t this tell us that the average Mecklenburg County homeowner: 1) Faces a 10 to 15 percent property tax hike in 2011, absent a property tax rate cut? 2) Could be paying 20 to 30 percent too much in property tax, considering that 2009 values in no way represent current values — or near term future values?

Remember, I caught holy hell for suggesting that all taxpayers should seek the Afshin Ghazi 26-percent downward tax-value adjustment deal from the tax assessor’s office next year.

I do not see any possible alternative. If you do not challenge your value, you will probably end up paying way too much in property tax from 2011 on.