Felicia Hopson is one of two African Americans who lead their freeholder boards in the state. She’s introducing a resolution at the next meeting Aug. 12 to replace the term with “county commissioner.”
She doesn’t see this so much as duplicating what the state’s trying to do as much as to make their own statement.
“We will phase out freeholder from all of our signage, our letterhead so forth and so on,” she told KYW Newsradio, “and we’ll do it in such a way that there’s no additional cost to our taxpayers.”
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The term “freeholder” dates back to revolutionary times.
“It was intended for someone who owned property could run for elected office,” she added.
Hopson says the change in Burlington County should be phased in over the next year, assuming it’s approved.