Dear :

Thank you very much for expressing your thoughts and concerns in your recent email.
Please accept this response which is made on behalf of all members of the Camden
County Board of Chosen Freeholders. We are hopeful that this communication will
eliminate any misconception that exists concerning the issues raised in your email.

Over the past three years, the Freeholders have reduced spending by over $6 million. We
have done so in a cooperative effort with our employees by attacking government
spending at all levels and by creating efficiencies in the way we deliver services.

We have received many inquiries from elected officials from municipalities and school
boards as to how we have achieved the reduction in spending and resulting decline in our
tax rate. In response to these inquiries, we invited officials from all taxing entities in
Camden County to a meeting where we shared the methods we have employed to reduce
spending.

The letter that I sent to municipal and school officials inviting them to the meeting and
the meeting itself have been misinterpreted as an attempt to interfere with the negotiation
process between school boards and collective bargaining units. No member of the Board
of Freeholders has or will be involved in negotiations between local boards of education
and their respective bargaining units. We have no legal authority or interest in becoming
involved in any negotiations other than those involving the employees of Camden County
and its agencies. The purpose of our meeting was to simply share with elected officials
our methods of reducing spending. We have not and will not engage in any practices that
will interfere with your salary and benefits. We respect the collective bargaining process
at all levels. We also respect and thank you for the outstanding job that you and your
colleagues perform in providing a high level of education to the children of Camden
County.

I recently met with Mike Flynn and other NJEA representatives to clarify the issues set
forth above. I think we all left the meeting with the mutual understanding that the Board
of Freeholders will continue its efforts to reduce taxes in Camden County and that the
Freeholders have not and will not engage in any practice that interferes with your
collective bargaining process. I hope that your leadership has or will share the results of
that meeting with its membership.

The Freeholders recognize the important role that you play in making Camden County a
great place to live. We recognize that you deserve a fair salary and benefits package. We
also recognize that the terms of your employment are subject to a collective bargaining
process. We respect that process and realize that there is not room in that process for
anyone other than the participants.

The number one complaint that we receive from our constituents is that property taxes are
too high. We hope that you recognize our efforts to reduce taxes in Camden County. We
cannot do it alone. We need the help of the hard-working municipal officials and school
officials in achieving the goal of reducing property taxes for all Camden County
residents.

Sincerely,

Louis Cappelli, Jr.

Freeholder Director