On Tuesday, I posted the campaign pitches made to Lehigh Valley For All by Tara Zrinski and Amy Cozze, both of whom seek the Democratic nod for NorCo Executive. They sound similar with one important difference. In seeking the approbation of Lehigh Valley For All, Cozze attacks the current Executive for failing to reach out for federal grant opportunities, even though she claims to have reached out herself as an aide to former Senator Bob Casey. Her exact words? "Time and time again, I saw resources go untapped, dollars left on the table that could have been used to improve the lives of Northampton County residents. It was disheartening to witness how much potential progress was lost simply because no one was actively pursuing these opportunities."
Cozze seems to have forgotten that she's running against Tara Zrinski, not incumbent Lamont McClure.
At a recent candidates' forum on Easton's south side, Cozze presented herself as a walking federal checkbook, claiming she'd get all kinds of money for the county. But is this true? You all are aware that voters have replaced Joe Biden with Donald Trump as President. Since his election, there have been quotidian executive orders pulling back federal funding to our municipalities. Easton Mayor Sal Panto told onlookers at Monday's obligatory flag raising ceremony on Trans Day that he had to lay off the City Forester because the feds pulled a promised block grant. So I doubt Cozze, a former staffer to a defeated Senator, can deliver much of anything.
But did NorCo County squander an opportunity to get federal funding? According to Fiscal Affairs Director Steve Barron, the answer is a definite NO. He attended last night's endorsement meeting of Lehigh Valley For All to set the record straight. Moreover, he brought the receipts to show multiple requests for federal funding.
Saying that "facts matter," Barron denied the perfidy spewed by Cozze and her campaign consultant and husband, Anne Wakabayashi. He noted that between 2021 and 2024, the county requested $50 million in federal funding and got about $8 million.
During much of this time, as I've told you, Cozze was employed by Senator Bob Casey. "[W]e directly asked Senator Casey for $10,427,500 of that money, but he did not deliver any of it for the county. While he was supportive of projects we got from federal agencies, he was unable to secure the funding we needed for other projects. I am not blaming our federal representatives, as they try their best, but there is never enough money to go around."
Cozze, reputedly under the weather, was unable to attend the endorsement meeting. But Wakabayashi was there.
Below are the federal grants sought between 2021 and 2024, and the amounts awarded.
Congressionally Directed Spending Applications Submitted:
Senator Casey:
2021 Northampton County Cultural Competence Training for Law Enforcement $103,500
2022 Northampton County Affordable Housing Project $3,000,000
P25 Expansion Project $5,000,000
2023 Northampton County Law Enforcement P25 Expansion Project $524,000
2024 Rehabilitation of Northampton County Bridge #149 in Lehigh Township $1,800,000
Senator Fetterman:
2023 Northampton County Law Enforcement P25 Expansion Project $524,000
2024 P25 Northern Expansion $4,041,576
Representative Wild:
2021 Gall Farm Preserve Development Phase 1 $850,000
Government Center Security Enhancements $499,000
Gracedale Building Upgrades $2,014,950
Minsi Lake Accessible Trail $1,000,000
Nor-Bath Trail Eastern Connector $600,000
Tott’s Gap Environmental Research and Education Center $1,000,000
2022 Gracedale Facility Improvements $1,625,00 AWARDED $1,000,000
Minsi Lake Accessible Nature Trail and Lakeside Observation Deck $1,000,000
2023 Northampton County Law Enforcement P25 Expansion Project $963,000 AWARDED $963,000
2024 P25 Northern Expansion $4,041,576
Northampton County Pass-Through grant to City of Bethlehem of Federal Funds administered through PennDOT:
2023 Community Traffic Safety Program $94,702.80 AWARDED $94,702.80
2024-2026 Community Traffic Safety Program $244,862 AWARDED $244,862
Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency - PCCD (State Administering Agency (SAA) for
US Bureau of Justice Assistance funding programs):
2024 Federal Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) funds administered through PCCD – Public Defender Client Advocate Grant $196,765.00 AWARDED $196,765.00
US Environmental Protection Agency:
2022 Brownfield Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund Grant $3,000,000 AWARDED $3,000,000
Community Change Grant – researched, lead applicant must be non-profit, no non-profits requested NorCo as a partner
2023/2024 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law programs
Researched and discussed. Communication with Charles Dertinger, Bryan Cope and/or Mike Emili confirmed NorCo had no eligible projects that met program requirements:
Charging and Fueling Infrastructure
Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Opportunity
Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost Saving Transportation (PROTECT)
Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program and Neighborhood Equity and Access Program
Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program
Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program (notes say “LVEDC” pursuing)
Thriving Communities Program (TCP)
Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program
Consolidated Rail and Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program
Bridge Investment Program
US Economic Development Administration Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance
Whole Home Repair Program (WHRP)
US Department of Treasury ARPA funds were utilized by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to create the Whole Home Repair Program (WHRP), which provided the opportunity for counties to apply for grant funding to address housing insecurity and the climate crisis and to support construction-related workforce development. Northampton County applied for and received $2,295,907 in funding, creating the Northampton County Whole-Home Repairs Program. To date, Northampton County’s WHRP has addressed habitability and safety concerns, provided measures to improve energy or water efficiency, and made units accessible for individuals with disabilities in 74 owner-occupied Northampton County homes. Additionally, Northampton County’s WHRP funding has supported Free Basic Construction Methods and Operations Training classes at Northampton Community College and the JATC Apprenticeship Program through the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union 375.
35 comments:
This came up at the second half of the meeting regarding the endorsements, candidates were not allowed to be in the room at that time. I was quite shocked by how Anne handled the criticism that was levied. She had no real refutation towards Tara just saying more or less that Allegheny county got over a billion dollars while Norco got close to 8 million but no one in the room really saw that as a fair comparison. In my opinion Anne has become a real drag on Amy’s campaign that should just be about kissing babies and telling everyone that Susan Wild endorsed her! The race is Tara’s to lose from here on out
Seems like a case could be made that Amy Cozze was ineffective as a Senatorial aide in obtaining federal dollars for the County of Northampton, no ?
What do you expect from a liar with a liquor license?
Is it possible Amy was interfering with Northampton County applications ? She really hated Charles and Lamont.
Maybe the county wasn't "gay enough" to get the money.
To be fair to Amy maybe she could outline how much Lehigh County applied for and received during the same period of time ?
Hell no Pelosi took the money.
Amy and Anne can spin a record like a DJ. This is why people don't trust politicians. This message is deceiving and untrue. Amy needs a job and her desperation is very apparent.
Tara Zrinski is out doing the grass roots work while Amy is bringing in the loser big guns and trying to dupe her constituents.
To Ann’s point. A Democrat relies upon Allegheny County to win statewide elections. Allegheny got $1,000,000,000.00 according to Ann. But, it’s now clear a Democrat can’t win PA without winning Norco, so maybe, they should have taken just a little of the billion and gave us 50 million.
Your attacks on Amy Cozze are misoginistic tripe unworthy of the most salacious tabloid journals , if you are not part of the patriarchy i challenge you to cycle from Naz to Easton wearing a pink pussy hat and document the journey if this is done I will donate $100 to the C.A.T
Neither of these candidates seem serious. So, what was the 2024 operating deficit at Gracedale? With the fund balance and COVID money gone, how do we avoid a significant tax increase during the next executive's term?
In fairness there are lots of ways to apply for federal money but it takes time and resources. A statem6 that there was more money left on the table was probably true as it would be in any county.
11:24, brown claims there was a deficit. That has been disputed by McClure. There has been no county contribution but the county does rely on an annual IGT grant that is considered revenue. If that grant is eliminated then there will be a loss. But I am unaware of any move to reduce it. In fact, it was started under Trump in his first term.
That is Bernie O’Hare answering 11:24 from my phone.
7 out of 50? Doesn’t seem great to me at all. Can someone show me #’s from comparable counties.
The Cozzeby Show is a terrible idea.
Livestream pay-per-view. It could raise millions.
i don’t see how bernie’s column is misogynistic: we’re talking about two women vying for the county executive spot. amy’s claims about mcclure were pretty easily disproven, which casts her in a bad light as far as i’m concerned. she’s running against tara, but so far she doesn’t seem to have much to say about her actual opponent. ignoring the other female candidate and focusing on the male incumbent instead seems disrespectful… and maybe a liitle misogynistic.
I was there & it was disappointing to hear the character assassination made by Kathy and the other speakers. An endorsement is a discussion about what a candidate can do & experience they have NOT A MAGA bashing event. Some of us thought it was planned ahead of time. Is Kathy homophobic the way she personally attacked Amy was alarming? My friend and I walked out. None of the points made by the grants report made sense. There was 0 mention of what counties bring in for grant funds. Showing what grants came in doesn’t prove grants there were not grants left on the table. I hope there are some more funding opportunities. It was a circus, unfair and undemocratic. How do we unite after the primary after all this division? I am just going to volunteer with indivisible moving forward.
Barron was as transparent and informative as he has to be for his candidate. It must be true since Barron owns the receipts.
I wondered about that as well
Anytime Cozze is challenged she pulls the I’m gay And that’s why you’re attacking me card. It’s BS. She wasn’t great at her jobs in Norco. Ask people who worked for her and with her. Sounds like Anne is running the show with Amy as the puppet. Tara and Amy should debate. I don’t think that’ll happen either Amy will conveniently feel under the weather.
Agree with the statement above. If there is any type of condemnation or unverified character assassination or commentary, then the targeted candidate should be given equal opportunity to explain/refute such claims directly to the person and attendees at that time. It is simply slander if the person directing misinformation is not fact checked or questioned to verify his/her statements at the time they are stated. The moderator should have had the accused candidate come back into meeting to respond to any open accusation or question which could be deemed as simply “purposely misleading “.
Anne this comment is really great. Keep up the good work.
@6:08 —- it’s because she’s doing the bidding of Susan Wild who lives in Lehigh County. We really don’t need a Lehigh County puppet running Northampton County.
LV 4 A FEW’s closed door session was appalling, as was Kathy’s letter to members assuring them that everything they’d heard at the meeting was factual. Absolutely false. Will she stand by her words and give up her integrity to put a stake in the politics of a county she doesn’t even live in?
Especially in the case of Jeremy Clark who was verifiably maligned.
lies and more lies from people in government.
Wasn’t at meeting, but if there were questions on candidates, shouldn’t those candidates have been given chance to answer yes/no or minimally explain briefly?
This will be tough, and I hope it passes your allowable test. The meeting was more than that. The facts are not irrefutable, they are Barron/Mclure approved. The goal of the meeting preplanned was to destroy Ms. Cozze and promote Team Tara, which you are a member of as well as try and destroy other democrats as well as support Bruno. PB claimed that she could still be elected, and her removal was over a technical issue, no big deal.
This was a set-up in pure Lehigh Valley for some style. The attacks on each other that has been a democratic purge of critical thinking. This self-immolating will result in republican sweeps, unless you all lose your 401k's. Sorry to see you join in the Lehigh Valley for Some bandwagon simply because you are in the team Barron and Zirinski drum circle.
Been hearing that McClure is the leader of the Lehigh Valley Democrat Party. He decides who gets labor money. He decides who should win. It is why Northampton County elected officials have to kiss the ring or else you are out.
The above statement is incomprehensible
BS. Political dud Mike laws brought up something from when Jeremy was 19.
…above..have your hearing checked.
This is funny. Lamont decides who gets labor money? I think your mad that you or your candidate didn’t get the labor support they thought they would.
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