It's no secret that local governments are hurting financially these days. And, property taxes are a huge source of funding. It's only natural that they'd turn once again to this potential source of additional funds.

Of course, the problem is that home values have declined substantially and so, in the normal course of things, you'd expect the assessments to decline as well.

But most of us will not see assessments that look anything like what our homes are actually worth.

I'm sympathetic to government's need for funds to keep important things like schools, fire fighters and police working. But I also know how hard things are for many families right now.

If your property tax assessment looks out of whack, don't be afraid to challenge it. The Virginia Homeowner's Alliance is now giving you the tools to do just that.

And, while you're there, think about joining. It's a great and growing organization and it won't cost you a penny to join!

The Virginia Association of REALTORS has founded an organization dedicated to protecting the interests of Virginia homeowners. It's called the Virginia Homeowner's Alliance. Their web site provides a place to get information on how to improve the value of your home, lets you monitor what's going on in various government entities that may impact you as a homeowner, and will also provide you with an easy way to contact government about your concerns.

With the flood of paid lobbyists at all levels of government this seems like a terrific idea. Citizens come together to make their voices heard. It's one of the things the internet does best.

Once you go to the site and sign up you will not be flooded with a ton of spam! But you will have access to information that I think will be useful to you. In addition to giving you a voice in governement, it also provides useful information on neighborhoods and schools and practical information on things like lawn care. By the way, the site is relatively new. It will continue to grow and expand and your suggestions on how to do that are welcomed!

Now I have a favor to ask. If you do go to the site and register, it asks for the name of the REALTOR who referred you. I'd like to ask that you please enter my name. In the interests of full disclosure this enters me in a drawing for things like an iPOD or a Wii.

But I hope you do this for yourself! And I'll be interested to hear what you think of the site!