Blogger's Note: This is what Grace Crampsie Smith, a member of Bethlehem City Council, told Lehigh Valley For All:
I am running for Mayor of Bethlehem because I believe service to others and our community is truly what life is all about! My parents instilled in my 6 siblings and I the vital importance of civic duty and responsibility to others. Resultantly, all my siblings and I have been politically and civically active, and I devoted the last 40 plus years of my life to serving others.
Having grown up in poverty, and as a free lunch student, I know first hand the challenges many in our community face, and feel more than qualified and prepared to assure government funds are earmarked appropriately to help those in need!
Having worked in county government, I have the experience in supervising staff, budget management, and operations efficiency.
I am also running for mayor because several individuals and entities have asked me to run because they believe that based upon my performance as a council member, I will be a mayor that is needed in Bethlehem.
Finally, I am running for mayor because I want the community I’ve called home and where I raised my children to be the best it can be, and I have concerns about the imbalance in growth and disregard for preserving our rich history and neighborhoods in our great city.
My priorities as mayor are accessibility, transparency, accountability, collaboration, and efficiency.
I will be an accessible mayor, a mayor for all! For without input from those you serve, how can you ever know what the priorities truly need to be? I will have set times for community members to come and meet with me in city hall, and always welcome community interaction. I will assure residents can access the proper department/person within city hall as needed.
I will be transparent as a mayor in that I will be forthright and clear on projects and intentions.
Accountability to my community and fiscal accountability will be prioritized.
When issues are brought forth at council meetings by community members, I will assure someone from the city responds to them that night or the next day.
I will ensure no tax dollars are wasted at City Hall and institute essential policies and procedures, and ensure they are followed. I will restructure City Hall’s organizational structure to ensure efficiency, collaboration, and communication.
Rather than spend excessive tax dollars on outside consultants, I will collaborate and tap into the expertise of those within the community as appropriate.
Finally, I will ensure we prioritize and preserve that which makes Bethlehem special, while balancing progress with smart, socially responsible development.
14 comments:
Bethlehem deserves better leadership than what we have had over the last two dynasty puppets. Only willie could have made bobby d look good. Time for a change. This lady has what it takes to turn a once proud community around.
Grace is probably one of the nicest people in Bethlehem. However, I don’t see a pathway to victory for her. The majority of residents are pleased with the direction of the city.
Grace will receive my vote for just her commitment to being accessible in the mayor's office. But, there's more. She understands that many people are unhappy with the direction Bethlehem is taking with upscale/luxury apartment highrises that are exacerbating growth at a way too rapid pace, and that aren't benefiting Bethlehem residents. She understands that quality of life suffers as a result due to a number of factors such as traffic congestion, density, air quality, and ability of the city to deliver public safety services in the face of that overwhelming growth. She knows there are local residents who have expertise that has a Bethlehem background, such as with affordable housing, that could save the cost of consulting services that her opponent relies on. I think that she understands that she would be the mayor of everyone, and wouldn't be a bully or seek vengeance (like her opponent has). She'll listen and respond thoughtfully because she sees a mayor as a community servant first, and not as a politician..
There is no free lunch.
This is a take it with a grain of salt comment coming from the guy who lost to Reynolds 4 years ago. Grace fails to understand, and so do you, that the term affordable housing has different connotations depending on the income of the person. Bethlehem needs housing at all levels. Trying to force private developers to make low income housing is never going to happen unless you subsidize it.
You had me at accessible. Willie is only accessible to people who take care of him. Grace has a tough road ahead because the fix is in as usual Willie for four more than Evans the next eight. You have my vote but you are truly up against the dark side.
I’ll vote for Grace, though she doesn’t stand a chance.
Reynolds is arrogant and aloof. He has very thin skin and can't take criticism or negative comments and will retaliate in any way possible.
Ms. Crampsie Smith's platform is well thought out, I will vote for her.
Grace is going to lose because that's what losers do.
I don't hide my name, anonymous, you do. Yes, I tried a run for mayor, have you? Reynolds beat me fair and square and I wished him well. As far as affordable housing goes, I think I know a little about it having worked on it in various capacities for about 25 of the 27 years I served residents working in city hall. I understand what affordable housing is and what it will take to create it, and still work in that area to this day. The current real estate market makes it difficult to achieve, and you are correct that it will take public funding to help accomplish it. The non-profit I work for developed two 4 unit town home developments in Bethlehem during the 2010's that were a combination of bank, public and private financing. Three units in each met affordability criteria using federal funding to write down the purchase price to make them affordable and one unit in each was sold at market rate.They are among the last affordable housing developments in the city. There have been lots available in Bethlehem on which affordable housing units could have been developed, but Reynolds put all of his eggs in the 3 church sale basket. However, his threats to developers and others backfired when he wanted the city to buy these properties, and Lehigh University swooped in and outbid the city. Finally, there are a number of people with hands on affordable housing expertise in Bethlehem who might help if they were asked.
Grace is going win because the people of Bethlehem are smarter than you think & Willie’s agenda is only embraced by the far left.
Grace is a common sense democrat and will have an open door for the benefit of all not just the socialist democrats that control city hall today.
Question is can Mr. Evans be the Mayor as his wife is a department head? I believe people have not forgotten about Mr. Donchez's favor.
Losers. Is this Susan Wild?
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