City officials mailed property assessments Monday to allow homeowners a chance to see how their taxes might change for 2010. (CBC)

The city mailed more than 311,000 assessment notices Monday, but officials want Edmonton homeowners to know the documents are not tax notices.

Assessments are used to determine property taxes, but other components, such as the provincial education tax and final adjustments to the city budget, won't be known until spring. The final tax bill will come in May.

The city budget for 2010 was approved in December, with an overall tax hike of five per cent — three per cent for services, and two per cent for a neighbourhood renewal program.

"As was the case last year, assessment notices for homeowners have been sent out separately from the tax notice," said Rod Risling, branch manager for assessment and taxation, in a release.

The early notice allows homeowners time to compare the assessed value of their properties with others in their area, he said.

Home values are based on estimates made on July 1st, 2009. The city said property values had dropped an average of 10 per cent from the previous year.

This year, property owners have 60 days to review their assessments - up from 30 days last year. They can also go to a city website to see the data on their property and others in their neighbourhood used to come up with the new assessments.

Homeowners who dispute the assessments can call the city's assessors, and if they're still at odds, they have until March 5 to file a written complaint to the Assessment Review Board.