Exec Candidates Galore Inside the Belly of the Beast

Bangor Mayor John Brown

Seven County Executive candidates, from both Lehigh and Northampton County, participated Monday night in an economic development forum co-hosted by the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation and Lehigh Valley Partnership. This shindig, which attracted about 50 bluebloods, occurred at DeSales University's newly opened Gambet Center. I'm sure that place must have one or two restrooms, but I'll be damned if I could find one. I asked Bert Daday, but he huffed that Partnership members like him never need to use bathrooms of any kind. He and a few other Partnership dudes like L Anderson Daub I sat in the back, away from the fray, kinda' like Roman emperors. If one of them signaled thumbs down at any point during this dialogue, it would be curtains for the unlucky speaker.

Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan

I was up in the front row, sitting next to Don Cunningham, believe it or not. I told him I was Lamont McClure's guest. Don's big thing was getting flags into the room - American, Pennsylvania, Lehigh and Northampton County. Unfortunately, Frank Kane, Cunningham's former Chief of Staff, brought two Lehigh County flags instead of a Lehigh and Pennsylvania flag. Cunningham fired Kane on the spot, but Kane retorted, "You're not the boss of me!"

Other than trying to fire Kane and introducing moderator Chris Borick, who got paid to ask questions somebody else prepared, Cunningham had a fairly easy night. He sat there studiously reviewing a notebook as the night went on. During a break, I noticed a Mad Magazine inside of it.

Former Exec Glenn Reibman

The Northampton County Executive candidates - John Brown, John Callahan, Lamont McClure and Glenn Reibman, all played it straight. No jokes. McClure had to spend an hour without using the word "Gracedale," and that seemed to throw him off his game. Reibman has started referring to himself in the third person again, something he used to do when he was Executive. Callahan, a natural salesman, was in his element. John Brown, in the first time I've ever seen him in action, was quite impressive.

Lehigh County Executive candidates Dean Browning, Tom Muller and Scott Ott were a tad more jocular. When Ott was asked to describe what assets make the Lehigh Valley attractive, he tried to threw in everything, including hunting grounds and opera. Browning deadpanned, "I often go to the opera when I get done hunting. Then Muller wisecracked, "The fat lady's singing."

Att'y Lamont McClure

At this point, Daday gave a thumbs down, the signal to slay all three of them. But Cunningham, reading Mad Magazine, missed it.

All of the questions, some of them repetitive, focused on economic development and regionalism.

Regionalism.

All candidates support more regional efforts. Brown noted his 18-month effort to regionalize police departments in the Slate Belt. Callahan noted the revenue sharing from the casino with Allentown ($2.5 million) and Easton ($0.8 million), calling it a "watershed moment for regional cooperation." He also pointed to combining redundant water and ewer authorities, noting that Bethlehem and East Allen are combining after two years of negotiation. McClure stated he supported the Allentown arena, unlike Callahan. Reibman wants a bi-county or even a tri-county health department, and wants rail to Philadephia, New York and Scranton.

Businessman Dean Browning

Browning believes Lehigh should start moving towards a county-wide police force, and is urging a regional approach to the three publicly-owned nursing homes in the Lehigh Valley. Muller pointed to Lehigh County's regional crime center, which in four short months has helped bring in 3 homicide suspects from Bethlehem and Berks County.

Ott insisted that regionalism has to be voluntary and can't be forced from the top down, claiming that the "politics of regionalization may put a damper on some of the dreams of regionalization"

Tax Incentives

LC Director of Admin Tom Muller

While they all support tax incentives for private development, they do so in varying degrees. Reibman's support was the most unqualified. In fact, he spoke of outright grants. Callahan supports the entire "alphabet soup" of tax incentives, but cautioned the use must be judicious. McClure stated he supported tax incentives, including the Chrin TIF, but said they really need to be analyzed to see if they are working. Brown stated they should be used "very sparingly" and you need to know the return on investment in advance.

Browning supports tax incentives like a TIF if they serve a "pubic good." He noted that a TIF he worked on in West Hills resulted in $100 million in development and 1,000 jobs. Muller supports incentive, but only if they result in jobs. Ott complained, "We have become dealmakers instead of lawmakers." His objection is that there should be objective standards to qualify for a tax incentive. But he said he'll likely support the TIF proposed at Hamilton Crossings.

Jobs and the Economy

Comm'r Scott Ott

Brown would like to know where economic development appears in the county's mission. That needs to be spelled out. But he'd reach out to smaller communities aggressively. He also suggested investing in COGs (Councils of Government).

Callahan would appoint a Director of Economic Development and move its office away from the "bowels of the courthouse." He would do what he could to make it easier to do business. In Bethlehem, for example, the average waiting time for a restaurant permit has dropped from 42 days to 14.

McClure claimed that he had the idea of appointing a Director of Economic Development Director first, so there, John Callahan! He also said that businesses would be attracted naturally by his no-tax hike pledge, like flies to honey.

Reibman would appoint a Director, and he appointed a Director before anyone, so there, Lamont McClure! He thinks that a study to connect Routes I-78 and 378 will stimulate the local economy.

Browning would focus on developing the Lehigh Valley workforce. He suggested that there be periodic roundtables of government, education and business to identify areas where workforce training is needed. He also stressed the importance of education, and would implement a "Leader in Me" program in which businesses "adopt" specific schools and help them.

Muller agreed the County needs to work harder to reach "at risk" kids, but stated that the County is not the driver of economic development.

Ott's basic approach to economic development is essentially, "Do no harm." In fact, he wants to outsource as much government as he can, even to the point of making employees competitively bid for their jobs.

Lehigh County's DCED Office

Both Browning and Muller favor keeping it intact. Ott appears to want to dump it. "Government can do some things well, but is never going to be as nimble as you can be," he told the job creators. He prefers a strong role from the private sector, noting that politicians have "mixed motives" and are always looking at the next election.

Infrastructure

Callahan cites a RenewLV study claiming that $60 million can be saved by consolidating water authorities. While he doubts it's as high as that, consolidation of Bethlehem and East Allen will reduce water rates for residents significantly. McClure believes county bridges need repair, but is opposed to a large bond for it. Reibman talked about rail again.

Ott stated that he blocked the Lehigh County Authority from extending its charter, but complained Commissioners have little control over authorities. Muller, who is Vice Chair of the Lehigh County Autority is "delighted" that Ott has little control, and believes the LCA should work towards regionalizing the County's water and ewer. Browning criticized the "parochial" approac Ott has taken to the Lehigh County Authority, and lauded both Muller and Cunningham for their work in maintaining the County's 47 bridges.