"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.
24 comments:
Good that someone qualified is running for that job. Isn't the democrat woman running the same one that lied at her custody hearing? This is who people want? They have no qualified people. But that is the democrat way. They put up poor candidates that moan and groan when someone points it out. The democrats are the do as I say not as I do people. They are even running against the only African American on county council. Hypocrites, all of them.
Good people aren't politicians. Politicians aren't good people. A guy with a Lehigh Math degree should be able to find honest work without sucking the public teat. Save the "higher calling of public service" bullshit. We see who they are every day. John is a politician. He's not good people.
This is fantastic news. Thank you, John. We need your expertise and oversight in this position!
If we can't get the government to check on the corruption in McClure's Administration, Cusick is the next best person. That's one way to out them and get rid of them all!
Cusick would be an excellent Controller. He has superb analytical skills and knows county government inside out. Let's hope Norco voters cross party lines to vote for a candidate far superior than know-nothing Zrinski.
Thank you for your blog, Bernie. You reports on NORCO always start off my day with a laugh.
A mathematics degree from Lehigh? You think that's a positive? Math is math. He spent roughly $150K (1990 era dollars) on a Math degree that he could have went to a state school for $40K and gotten the exact same piece of paper.
If that's not a perfect example of government decision making, I don't know what is.
"They are even running against the only African American on county council. Hypocrites, all of them."
Being AfricaN American is not a license for demagoguery, vulgarities a bully attitude and laziness. Myers is too damn lazy to even physically attend Council meetings over which he is supposed to preside. He also undermined the Sheriff, saying that if he were a deputy, he'd refuse to follow his orders. He also wanted to install an elections commissioner who was employed by a candidate seeking office simply because she was black and threatened fellow Council members when they demurred. He also has a very high opinion of himself, which you can see for yourself if you follow any of his tirades. He needs to go and I am delighted to know someone has stepped forward to run against him.
5:59 you are so right too many people believe in these politicians and they are the scum of the earth.
@Bernie- So you think the only African American on county council should not be contested because he is black? How racist is that?! Democrats, as any party, have every right to run against an incumbent if they think the incumbent is not representing their constituents. Kerry is mediocre at best, and is Lori's little pawn. He deserves to be challenged, and IMO lose.
Always respected John. I'm a Democrat but will be voting for his expertise over Tara's.
"@Bernie- So you think the only African American on county council should not be contested because he is black? How racist is that?!"
I actually said that being African American is no excuse for being a lousy member of Council. It is pretty much the opposite of what you just stated. I am glad he is being primaried, not bc he is black, but bc he is a bad Council member.
"A mathematics degree from Lehigh? You think that's a positive? "
Yeah, I do. LU is an excellent school.
LU used to be a great school. It still was when John graduated. Now, they have departments that teach that men can become pregnant, and there are 27 "genders." That's not a good school. That's a woke academy for blithering idiots who graduate with more debt than common sense.
Spoken like an ignorant anti-intellectual. LU is primarily an engineering school and people who graduate do rather well for themselves. You just create horseshit and pass it off as fact. My only problem with LU, as well as most schools, is the fraternities and sororities. They should be banned at all schools.
I get a laugh out of these people downplaying Cusicks experience. A degree in mathematics and a lot of experience in county government. It’s either him or the Theology major who sells solar panels and calls herself a socialist. She does not have one qualification for the job. Not one! It’s not a hard choice folks.
"demagoguery, vulgarities a bully attitude"
Employees thought you were talking about McClure and Chucky.
Well @KerryLMyers44 on twitter might be Kerry Myers from County Council. If it is WOW!
Although neither candidate is qualified to be County Controller, I will support Cusick because he is more qualified than Zrinski.
@9:46 Saw the Myers twitter. Funny how it’s now deleted. What a creeper. He should resign.
Account has been deleted
Tara Zrinski has been endorsed by the Earth Liberation Front and Deep Green Resistance, Cusick doesn't own a vehicle that gets over 30mpg and has no credibility when it comes to issues regarding Gaia. A vote for John is a vote for the petrochemical overlords and status quo of planetary defecation.
BLUE BADGER
"Executive Lamont McClure will certainly support fellow Democrat Zrinski"
Of course, he will, he recruited her. Just like he recruited the people running for county council. He constantly complains that the ones on there do not agree with him, especially
Cusick. The last thing he wants is an independent Controller looking at his books. You love the guy, but he does not want Cusick looking over his shoulder. Zirinski will keep doing what she is told as she knows no better.
Also @9:36 Myers account was hacked, and he stated that before your post.
Zrinski is not able to be a controller. She doesn’t have the skill set. She has said that “finances give me anxiety.” This is full on cynicism on her part as well as on the part of McClure. The party should be ashamed. She is not attentive to detail and has no financial/accounting background for a reason. She has sought out a campaign treasurer in the past to help her clean up her mess of a treasury but they could not due to the messiness/lack of her record keeping - fear of finances. She needs a job she states to anyone who will listen. He knows this but wants her in the position anyway. Why? This is our tax dollars folks, not a chess game.
Post a Comment