Camden County Democrats Announce Support for Leonard for Freeholder

Democrats Nominate Leonard as Camden County Freeholder Candidate

Roberts’ Chief of Staff Brings Trenton Expertise, Local Community Ties to County Ticket

CHERRY HILL -- Ian Leonard, a longtime Camden City resident with a vast background in legislative and community issues, has been selected to be a Democratic candidate for the county Board of Freeholders in November. Leonard, the chief of staff to Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts, fills out a Democratic ticket that offers a wide range of experience and skills, as well as a continued commitment to reduce taxes and control government spending.

"The taxpayers of Camden County are incredibly fortunate to have someone of Ian’s ability and character as a candidate for freeholder,” said Roberts, a former director of the Board of Freeholders. “I have watched him develop into a first-rate talent with administrative and legislative skills that will be invaluable to our community.”

"The choice of Ian Leonard is an inspired one that will pay enormous dividends for the people of Camden County over the next several years,” said Donald Norcross, co-chairman of the county Democratic Party, whose screening committee nominated Leonard as the candidate. Senator James Beach, who is also the party’s co-chairman, said Leonard will be able to “hit the ground running” because of his experience in dealing with New Jersey’s most serious issues as the Speaker’s point man on policy matters.

Leonard, a reservist in the New Jersey Air National Guard, joins a county Democratic ticket for the 2009 election that includes incumbent freeholders Jeff Nash and Rodney Greco, Sheriff Chuck Billingham and County Clerk Joseph Ripa. The ticket is running on a platform that would freeze spending and continue reducing county taxes and payroll. Since 2005, the Democratic-run Freeholder Board has reduced the county payroll by 300, saving taxpayers $4 million. The Board has lowered the tax levy on county residents by $6 million over the last two years.

Leonard said he’s eager to work on maintaining the county’s commitment to a government that controls spending while improving the quality of life for residents. He also declared his support for “quality economic development and the redevelopment of existing town centers.”

"It was through Joe Roberts that I learned that an individual can make great change and have a lasting effect in the community they live in,” Leonard said. “I also learned that helping people through public service was one of the great accomplishments that a person can achieve. I am eager to begin working for the people of this county as their freeholder.”

Nash, who served as freeholder director from 1995 to 2005, said Leonard’s firsthand knowledge of the issues, personalities and political culture of Trenton would make him an instant asset to Camden County residents.

"Ian will not need much of a learning curve,” Nash said. “He has spent years at the side of Joe Roberts insisting that issues vital to our working families make it to the top of the agenda in Trenton. Camden County’s taxpayers will be in a stronger position in so many areas because of Ian’s expertise and the relationships he has developed at the Statehouse.”

Lou Cappelli, the county’s freeholder-director, said Leonard’s hands-on experience with the issues facing residents throughout the county will be a tremendous asset to the Board as it faces critical budgetary challenges in the years ahead.

In addition to Leonard’s policy and political expertise, several cited his personal skills and ability to communicate easily with a diverse range of people and organizations. State Sen. Dana Redd, a candidate for Camden City mayor this year and co-chair of the Camden City Democratic Committee, said Leonard’s “strong ties to the city of Camden will be a great benefit to our people getting their voices heard at the county level. As someone who lives in and is active in the city, Ian knows the problems and the people, and wholeheartedly cares about Camden.”

Redd’s view was echoed by Angel Fuentes, Camden City Council President and city committee co-chair, who said that Leonard “has developed great relations with the Hispanic and African-American communities in Camden. With him as a freeholder, we will have a partner in the county who knows the problems of our city firsthand.”

Phyllis Magazzu, chairwoman of the county Democratic screening committee that selected Leonard, said his addition makes the party’s formidable 2009 electoral ticket even stronger. “We are very fortunate that someone of Ian’s political expertise and personal integrity is there to represent our party and Camden County’s residents,” said Magazzu, who is also the mayor and Democratic municipal chairwoman in Berlin Township. “He will be an outstanding candidate and a smart, enthusiastic freeholder who knows the issues and will have an open door to the people.”

Born in Trenton in 1976, Leonard was raised in Browns Mills and graduated from Pemberton Township High School. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Masters in Public Administration from Rutgers University Camden.

Leonard joined Roberts’ legislative staff as an intern in 2000 and later became his legislative aide and then chief of staff. He has lived in the city of Camden since 1996.

Leonard enlisted in the New Jersey Air National Guard in 1998 and is working at the 177th Fighter Wing in Pomona.