MECKLENBURG, N.C. — If you live in Mecklenburg County, you are affected by the latest property tax revaluation, the first one in eight years.
Countywide, there’s been a 54 percent total increase in property values. Some homes near uptown have are seeing increases of more than 120 percent.
The revaluation has a lot of families worried their tax rates could skyrocket, and it's why councilmen and commissioners hosted a meeting Thursday night to discuss the changes.
“I went from a $100,000 value of my home in 2011 to now over $300,000,” one speaker said.
Higher values don’t necessarily equal higher property taxes. But for families living in Mecklenburg County, it is a legitimate concern they could soon be spending more, especially families on fixed incomes.
Since the last revaluation January 1, 2011, Mecklenburg County’s experienced a 54 percent total increase in property value, 43 percent residential, and 77 percent commercial.
Commercial goes beyond office spaces and retailers; it includes multi-family units as well, meaning renters. But, at this point, it’s not clear what the new costs will be.
First, local boards will come up with the county’s budget and then set the tax rate from there. We are told that will happen in September.
County Commissioner Pat Cotham said she isn’t interested in raising taxes, but she can’t speak for her colleagues.
“We have to remember these are people’s homes, and they have to be able to afford living there. I don’t want people to lose their homes," she said.
It does not cost money to file an appeal or have your property reviewed by an assessor. You can visit meckreval.com for more resources.