In his July 2 Letter to the Editor of this paper, David Syring stated that local municipalities and the county should work together towards sharing resources. His point is a good one. Some services could be carried out more efficiently if they were run by the county, rather than repeated in each municipality. Purchasing, tax collection, and public works are all examples of services that could use this model. In the end, the goal is to reduce everybody’s property tax burden.

Sharing services is not a panacea for our budget woes and may not be the answer in every county. This model works when there is open and competent leadership at the county level and when county leaders understand that they are servants of the public that elected them.

While Hunterdon County does offer limited shared services, the actions of our Freeholder Board bring into question our county’s readiness to look at real cost sharing. Whether it is the million dollar a year payments in legal fees, inconsistent application of open space funds, or lack of oversight of the Roads and Bridges Department, the Freeholder Board is not one in which municipalities are ready to put their financial trust.

As a candidate for Freeholder, one of my many goals is to restore credibility to our county government. I am disappointed that so many people refer to our county leaders as “freeloaders” but I am even more disappointed when these leaders act in such a way that they earn that title.

Public service is a privilege that carries with it an awesome responsibility, namely serving the public. When our elected officials understand and practice it, we will have an honest chance at managing our tax burden.

Sam Thompson, Delaware Twp., candidate for Freeholder