John Cusick Announces Candidacy For NorCo Controller

Bucky Szulborski, Northampton County's highly regarded Controller, has decided against running. 

"You're the best Controller Northampton County has ever had," he's often told.

"But I don't do anything." 

"That's why!" 

That's about to change. After weeks of speculation, it's official. Long-time Council member John Cusick has announced his candidacy for Northampton County Controller. He is running as a Republican. Democrat Tara Zrinski, another Council member, has previously announced she's running as well. 

Like Zrinski, Cusick has no accounting background. But unlike Zrinski, he's a numbers guy. He majored in mathematics at Lehigh. In his long service on County Council, Cusick has dived more deeply into financial matters than any other Council member. In his announcement below, he talks about the importance of quarterly financial statements, and to him, that's no joke. He always asks about them and when they are late, he wants to know why. He's the only Council member who asks these questions. 

He's a wonk, and in a Controller, that's a good thing. He is a regular participant in the County Commissioners' Association, and at times was the only NorCo Council member who attended their meetings in exciting places like Camp Hill.  

He understands the Home Rule Charter and Administrative Code better then any person currently sitting on Council and his long experience on County Council gives him a deep understanding of just how county government works. 

He's a center-right Republican who approaches governance in a bipartisan fashion. 

It would be waste for him to leave office with his wealth of knowledge at age 56. So I am delighted to hear he's running to be the county's fiscal watchdog.

There's no doubt in my mind that, right now, somebody in the county is stealing. This is not intended as a slur on anyone, but it's just human nature. Cusick would be far more likely to pick up on waste and fraud than a political opportunist like Zrinski, who wants to be everyone's friend as she looks at yet another office, Electing John Cusick as Controller is simply good government. 

Executive Lamont McClure will certainly support fellow Democrat Zrinski, but politically, he should want Cusick to win. This is because Cusick is more likely to focus on county finances while Zrinski could actually politicize the office, making all Democrats look bad in the process.      

From John Cusick's campaign: Today Northampton County Commissioner John Cusick formally declared his intention to seek the Republican nomination for the Office of County Controller. Foregoing re-election to another term on Council this year, Cusick is running for Controller because Northampton County government desperately needs a person in that office elected by the voters with experience, leadership skills, and a willingness to hold the administration and bureaucracy accountable for the use of county funds. “The inability to produce quarterly financial reports in a timely fashion, issues with and avoidance of competitive bidding, and millions in COVID relief spending are just some of the fiscal challenges facing Northampton County,” said Cusick.

A four-term member of County Council Cusick, 56, was elected at-large from 2006-2014 and has represented District 3 since 2016. During his four terms in office, he served as President for five years, chaired the Finance, Personnel, and Open Space Committees and been liaison to the Farmland Preservation Board, Lehigh Valley Planning Commission and Discover Lehigh Valley. He was an active participant on the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) Board of Directors and chaired its Committee on Assessment and Taxation. Among his accomplishments, Cusick cited his support for the consolidation of Human Services into a centrally located facility, a cost-effective work release and drug treatment center, and a state-of-the-art county morgue for forensic investigations.

“The County Controller should be an individual committed full time to auditing county agencies and the fiscal oversight of our tax dollars. It’s not an office for a political activist looking to collect a paycheck while pursuing higher office,” he said.

During his service on County Council Cusick has participated in the successful selection of outside auditing firms on three occasions. He’s consulted with, asked questions of, and provided input during the annual financial audits. If elected Cusick believes that the County Controller’s Office can do more to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of various county programs and services. “We need to continue the oversight of how each office and agency in Northampton County handles cash, checks, and tax revenues to ensure every dollar is properly allocated where it legally belongs,” he added.

Cusick has been a secondary math teacher for 27 years and works at Hunterdon Central High School. He holds a B.A. from Lehigh University in mathematics and history, an M.Ed. from East Stroudsburg University in secondary education, and certification in educational supervision from Centenary University. Prior to serving on County Council, he chaired the Williams Township Board of Supervisors and served on the Township Board of Elected Auditors.