Pledging a 2016 property tax reduction while expanding services for those in need, Kate Gibbs and Ryan Peters were sworn in on Jan. 4 as new members of the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Freeholder Bruce Garganio was unanimously selected to serve as the board’s director for 2016. Kate Gibbs will serve as deputy director.
Gibbs, 29, and Peters, 33, had not previously held elected office. Upon her swearing in, Gibbs has officially become the youngest female Freeholder serving in the state of New Jersey. With the addition of Gibbs and Peters, Burlington County now boasts the youngest freeholder board in the State.
“While this is an exciting first for both of us, Kate and I understand that tonight is not really about us, but about the job you all sent us here to do,” Peters said. “We ran on a promise to be different, on the idea that our youth and experience outside of government would allow us to make government work better and to do so with less. That is what we intend to do.”
Garganio heralded his new colleagues as “a new generation of Republican leadership here in Burlington County.”
In remarks, both Gibbs and Peters addressed the need to make Burlington County more affordable.
“Our first priority is cutting property taxes in 2016,” Gibbs said. “If Burlington County is going to continue to be a place for families to afford, businesses to grow, and seniors to retire we have to find innovative ways to lighten the tax burden for all of our residents.”
Peters said no freeholder board in the state has a stronger record of fiscal responsibility than that of Burlington County.
“In 2016 we will continue that tradition; understanding that every dollar we spend is not ours but yours,” Peters said. “You deserve to know that those dollars are being spent efficiently and effectively, and to send us as little as possible.”
Gibbs, who previously served on the Board of Trustees for Rowan College at Burlington County, also stressed the importance of workforce development and pledged to expand programs for jobseekers with an emphasis on training for young women.
“I was thrilled to see the first class of 30 local women graduate from the county’s new Women in Sustainable Employment program this past fall,” Gibbs said. “Having completed a free 40 hour training course in nontraditional employment opportunities available in energy and construction industries, those who graduated are now prepared to meet the needs of our local employers and are well on their way to successful careers. Look for many more of these success stories in 2016.”
Peters, who saw multiple combat deployments as a Navy SEAL, addressed the need for advancements in providing services to a new generation of veterans.
“I will work every day to protect our Joint Base and to make sure that every Burlington County resident who has served our nation in uniform receives the benefits and assistance that they have earned,” Peters said. “As more and more of us return from active duty deployments around the world today, the face of veteran’s services is changing and we must adapt to meet these changes. My pledge tonight is that we will.”
As the newly elected Freeholder Director, Garganio delivered a state of the county address that highlighted financial accomplishments, noting that Burlington County government has a record of cutting spending while continuing to provide first rate services.
“This Board is proud to have a record of fiscal responsibility that knows no equal,” Garganio said. “In the last seven years county property taxes have been reduced by more than 20 million dollars, leading the independent Pew Charitable Trust to credit Burlington County with having the lowest tax burden in the Philadelphia region. At the same time we cut county spending by over $40 million, spending less per resident than any other county in the state even as we have expanded essential services and programming for seniors, veterans, families, and the most vulnerable.”
Garganio pointed to Burlington County’s aggressive Workforce Development Initiative, new partnerships with Virtua Hospital, improvements at the County Animal Shelter, and the recent transition to single stream recycling as examples of what good government can accomplish by running efficiently and utilizing new technologies.
As director, Garganio also has the responsibility of assigning freeholders as directors of individual departments. He placed himself as Director of Administration and Health; Kate Gibbs, will oversee Public Works; Joe Donnelly was named Director of Natural Resources, Economic Development, and Education; Mary Ann O’Brien will serve as Director of Human Services and Elections; and, Ryan Peters was appointed as Director of Public Safety and Corrections.
