County officials speak out against tax freeze

County officials are lobbying against a plan to re-establish a statewide freeze on property taxes. The Republican-led legislature established a property tax freeze, but let it expire two years ago. Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bob Ermer is president of the Iowa State Association of Counties.Ermer, who’s a democrat from Rockwell, says state officials should let county and city policymakers make the decisions they were elected to make.Ermer says the property tax freeze ties the hands of county and city officials who must deal with local concerns. Republicans who control the legislature’s debate agenda cite recent property tax statistics which show some dramatic increases in property taxes since the freeze was lifted.