Camden County lowering tax levy once again
Camden County officials said yesterday that they were lowering the tax levy for the third year in a row, thanks to a steadfast refusal to replace most employees who leave.
Camden County officials said yesterday that they were lowering the tax levy for the third year in a row, thanks to a steadfast refusal to replace most employees who leave.
This policy of shrinking government through attrition, they said, has helped to lower the county tax levy by $6 million over three years to $242 million in the 2009 budget, unanimously introduced yesterday by the freeholders.
Taxpayers in most Camden County towns will see a slight reduction in property taxes because of the cuts.
"In almost every aspect of the government, when people leave, we try not to replace them," said Freeholder Deputy Director Edward McDonnell.
That means, he said, that the remaining employees have more work to do. "There's no way in the world we could have done this without the cooperation of our employees," he said.
Only vacancies in public safety are generally filled.
In addition to savings due to attrition, the county is slashing its marketing budget by $800,000 and has cut out TV advertising. Residents can also expect fewer mailings.
The final meeting to approve the $326 million budget is set for May 21 at the Waterford municipal building.
The plan calls for a $100,000 drop in the tax levy, and Camden County freeholders said they knew of no other government entity in the state with three years of declining tax levies. In Camden County, the new tax rate is the lowest in a half-century, County Administrator Ross Angilella said.
The cuts, officials said, were possible despite increased costs and a $6 million drop in revenue, mostly from real estate transaction fees.
Officials said they began looking for ways to shrink the workforce in 2005, when they offered early retirement packages that almost 180 employees accepted.
The county now has 600 fewer employees than in 2005. There are currently 1,750 people working for county departments, and about 2,000 at county agencies like Camden County College.
"Our employees continue to do a tremendous job serving the public despite the fact that there are fewer and fewer of them," Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said.
The union that represents about 900 employees disagrees, saying services have suffered. The union, Camden County Council 10, has been negotiating new contracts since the last ones expired in December 2007.
"Overall, they're all doing more," union president Karl Walko said of the employees. "In some cases, they're overwhelmed by the work."
Officials said they do not have plans for raises this year and are asking for concessions. Walko said concessions are "out of line."
"The employees are more productive than ever," he said. "They expect a fair contract."
