Burlington County Democrats are finding ways to outspend even the highest expectations.

For Immediate Release

Mount Holly, January 2, 2019 –On the first day of the New Year, freshly-elected Burlington County Democrats are finding ways to outspend even the highest expectations.

Burlington County Freeholders-elect Felicia Hopson and George Youngkin ordered two Freeholder Reorganization Meetings on New Years Day, calling employees in on the holiday, requiring them to lose time with their families and be paid time and a half.

“After four-plus decades of Republican control, the Burlington County Board of Freeholders is now run by Democrats, and its first move is to break with a cost-saving tradition to hold reorganization meetings after the holidays,” said Burlington County Republican Committee Chairman Sean Earlen.

“Tax and spend is back in Burlington County, and it only took one day,” he continued.

Hopson and Youngkin were both sworn in at an 8:30 am meeting on January 1 at the Burlington County Administration Building. The Freeholder Board then held a ceremonial reorganization meeting at Rowan College at Burlington County
at 3 pm on the same day followed by an after party at the college.

Youngkin, who was only seated on the dais at the morning meeting, attended the afternoon ceremony while wearing a Freeholder lapel pin but sat in the audience. He has changed his mind many times in regards to whether or not he would keep his seat. Allegations of domestic violence and harassment that were unearthed before the election made it clear that he has no business having direct contact with county employees or residents. He was widely expected to step down after being sworn at the morning meeting. However, throughout both reorganization meetings there was no public announcement of his resignation or acknowledgement of his absence.

The county previously held reorganization meetings on weekdays during the first week after the New Year in order to avoid additional staff costs and inconvenience.

“For years, the County Freeholder Board practiced fiscal responsibility by implementing shared services and finding every creative approach to save taxpayers money. Those days are now over, and residents can be sure to see tax increases come budget season,” Earlen said.

“An unnecessary expenditure of thousands of dollars on Day 1 is a window into the future of the new normal,” he continued. “We hope the new county government doesn’t embrace the reckless spending ideas that have plagued Washington DC and Trenton for years.”

Under Republican control, the Burlington County Freeholder Board implemented the largest shared services in the state through its recycling program and 911 services, cut $10 million in spending over the last decade, and achieved the lowest annual cost per resident of any county in the state at $346 per person while providing innovative services including a $20 million school security program, 60,000 acres of preserved farmland, and $35 million in municipal park grants to support the recreational and open space initiatives of the county’s towns. The Republican-controlled Board also attained increased credit ratings from both Moody’s and S&P to the highest rating in the history of Burlington County.