Northampton County Government Races

Assuming our WinVote touchscreen machines don't blow up, voters will elect the following offices this year: District Attorney, Controller and four county council district seats. They'll also decide whether Judge Stephen Barrata should be retained in the marble palace we're spending $45 million to build.

District Attorney: According to the county's website, the DA "is required to prosecute all violations of Pennsylvania Criminal Law within the Northampton County's geographic boundaries." Incumbent John Morganelli is running for a fifth term! He's the best DA I've ever seen. No Republican will run against him. He's more conservative than most of them anyway. My only criticism is that he's too political. He has promoted proteges like Steve Barrata and Paula Roscioli to the bench. They sing his tune. He remains heavily involved in Bethlehem politics, and is now trying to plant another protege on county council. After sixteen years, he has become too powerful.

Controller: I told you yesterday about that race. About a month ago, I gave you a detailed post about Democrat Steve Barron and Republican John Schimmel. I'm hoping to be able to interview both of them so you can have a better feel about the Controller.

County Council: This is the county's equivalent of Congress, its "governing body." This year, its four "district" seats are up for election. Voters will also decide the at-large seat to which Tony Branco was selected, not elected.

District 1 (Bethlehem, Hellertown and Hanover): Incumbent Ann McHale thought she had a free ride to her third term in this heavily democratic district. She deserves it. She has been a fierce advocate for Bethlehem in her eight years on council. Republicans, in a losing cause, will run home inspector Tom Dietrich against her. And I have a funny feeling some fellow Democrats who deposed her as council VP will pay a heavy price. I'm talking about selected, not elected, councilmen McClure and Branco. They voted to replace McHale. I'm sure that Ann will go out of her way to drum up Bethlehem votes for Branco. And she'll use her heavy ties to county employees to make sure McClure is elected. Right. "Hell hath no fury ..." She is not someone I would like to have angry with me.

District 2: (Easton, Forks, Glendon, Palmer, Stockertown, Tatamy, West Easton, Williams and Wilson) Incumbent Rev. J. Michael Dowd is an affable and very quiet UCC pastor and Chamber of Commerce VP, seeking a third term. He's a pro-business republican, willing to hand out all kinds of dough and tax incentives to big business in the vain hope it might create a job. As council prez, he manipulated a council agenda just so developer Abe Atiyeh could prance into council with one day's notice and demand a KOZ for a property that has yet to produce a job. He was involved in a $1 million grant for infrastructure in Palmer Tp that enabled Giant to move a foodstore 1/4 mile from another location. I like and respect him, but he's too business friendly for my tastes. Democrat William E. Wallace is opposing Dowd. I know nothing about Wallace except that he has never held public office.

District 3: (Allen, Bath, Bethlehem Township, East Allen, Freemansburg, Lower Nazareth, Lower Saucon, Nazareth, North Catasauqua and Northampton) Lamont McClure, an appointed councilman and a part of Joe Long's cabal, will raise and spend $30,000 in his third effort to get elected to council. He'll be slinging mud at Will Power, who filed his nomination papers on Monday. Morganelli is also promoting Lamont so he can have a puppet on county council. Morganelli has been dredging up a 1993 car accident as proof that Power is an unfit wingnut. When someone gently reminded Morganelli that going dark can backfire, D-Day Morganelli quipped, "I don't care. I have an 80% approval rating." Lamont does not. I'll have more to say about Power later. But he has already stood quietly against the party machine and incredible pressure urging him not to run. His stubborn independence reminds me very much of another maverick - his sister, Lisa Boscola.

East Allen Township supervisor Mark Schwartz, a republican, is also running.

District 4: (Bangor, Bushkill, Chapman, East Bangor, Lehigh, Lower Mount Bethel, Moore, Pen Argyl, Plainfield, Portland, Roseto, Upper Mount Bethel, Upper Nazareth, Walnutport, Washington and Wind Gap) The darling of the blogosphere, republican Ron Angle, is seeking his third term in the slate belt district. He has powerful enemies in both major parties, from Elmer Gates to Glenn Reibman. But he is the county's pitbull, and can smell bullshit a mile away.

Two democrats are fighting for the privilege of taking on Angle. One of these is John Maher, whose Slate Belt Concerned Citizens was a vocal opponent of the now defunct Wal-Mart proposed in Wind Gap. His opponent? Upper Mount Bethel Township resident William Hall III, former candidate for Lieutenant Governor.

At-Large: Although there are five at-large seats on county council, only one is up for election this year. Tony Branco, appointed to fill a council vacancy, must face the voters. He is a likable and sincere member of council, but is an unknown outside Hellertown. His record is undistinguished. Republican Peg Ferraro, has served three council terms, and currently chairs the citizens' task force studying our election problems. She delayed her announcement to avoid politicizing the elections panel. Now that she's announced, she'll have to step down after the primary. She'll have to step down now if John Cusick succeeded in persuading another republican to challenge her. Thanks, John.

Judge Barrata's Retention: First, I think judges use the bathroom just like the rest of us. And if they want to remain judges, they should stand for election. They're already too isolated, and it's getting worse. These judges are all beneficiaries of the midnight payraise enacted by our state legislature. Judge Steven Barrata is raking in nearly $150,000 a year. For that kind of money, he should face the voters.

I don't think a single judge should be retained. Hey Steve, where were you when county employees were getting sick? Did you speak up when over 100 positions were eliminated to help pay for your overbudget Taj Mahal? Where were you when your $15 thousand judicial lunch table had to be sawed in half just to get it in your new building? Where were you when judges decided that all members of the public had to be searched when they entered your new building, even if their business took them nowhere near a courtroom? When did you announce that you would refuse the new pay raise? How could you take a nickel when the people who work under you have seen nothing for nearly four years? Why couldn't you open your mouth about any of the judicial excesses? These are just a few questions Barrata should answer if he expects to remain on the bench. I asked them before, way back in November. His silence is deafening.

Update:Both The Express Times and Morning Call have complete listings of the candidates seeking election in Northampton County's May primary. Lehigh County's candidates are already listed by their efficient voter registration office on its webpage. Very impressive.