Pa. 07 Voter Registration Data Shows a Very Purple District

As of August 10, the Department of State reports the following registration statistics for the Pa. 7 Congressional District: Democrats - 224,184; Republicans - 205,146; Libertarians - 3,137; Greens - 782; Unaffiliated - 92,619; Other - 15,325.

The total number of registered voters is 541,193. 

Democrats have a 19,038-voter advantage over Republicans, but the rising number of third party and independent voters makes it difficult to predict anything other than a growing disenchantment with the major parties. 

According to PoliticsPa, Democrats have added and Republicans have lost voters since their last check in April. But 46,000 voters throughout the state have abandoned the major parties to become independents. 

The Congressional race in Pa. 7 will likely be decided by approximately 96,000 voters who belong to neither of the main parties. 

UPDATED: Two Challenges Filed Against Pa. 7 "Green Party" Candidate Andrew Tupone

Two challenges have been filed against the nomination petition filed by Andrew Tupone as the Green Party candidate in the Pa. 07th Congressional district. Tupone claims to be the choice of 10,000 voters. 

The first set of objections comes from the Green party itself. The second comes from Joyce Moore, Louise Dillensnyder and Susan Baranek. I know that Joyce Moore is a fairly active Democrat, but do not know the others. 

Tupone has called the challenge an attempt by Democrats to silence his voice, but the Green party has filed objections. 

If these challenges succeed, that's very good news for Democratic nominee Bob Brooks. 

UPDATED 1:00 PM: The Green Party's objections can be located here. According to the challenge, Tupone was a Republican who switched to Democrat in February and to Green in April. It claims he is not an "authentic" Green party candidate.

The Greens contend that Tupone misled voters into believing he was a Green, even though he has never received that party's endorsement. 

UPDATED 4:15 PM:  The Commonwealth Court has scheduled a hearing on both challenges, to be heard August 20 at 11 AM in Harrisburg. At this hearing, Objectors will have an opportunity to prove that voters who signed nomination petitions were actually misled. They Green party will also be required to offer legal argument that Tupone's nomination petition is a violation of the free and equal protection clause of the state constitution based on allegations that signatures were obtained as a result of fraud. 

Should Allentown Subsidize State Police Coverage in Upper Mount Bethel ... or Lower Macungie ... or Bath?

Visit Bath ... or Upper Mount Bethel ... or Williams or Lower Macungie ... or any of a number of municipalities in the Lehigh Valley. Some, like Upper Mount Bethel, are very large. Others, like Bath, are small. But they have one thing in common. No local police. They rely on the Pennsylvania State Police to perform the function that would otherwise be performed by local police officers. Pa state law requires every municipality to have a fire department, but no such requirement exists for police. What this means is that taxpayers in economically challenged urban centers like Allentown or Philly are being for cops in the burbs. It also means that people who live in large municipalities like Upper Mount Bethel, second largest in the state, can wait 40 minutes for state police to respond to an emergency call. 

According to Spotlight.Pa, there are 4,200 troopers, with a cap of 4,410. The Shapiro administration proposes the elimination of this cap, but that will just make it easier for local municipalities to shed the unpleasant cost of actually protecting their own citizens. 

What makes more sense, in my view, is to enact legislation that essentially imposes a death penalty on any municipality that is unable to afford the cost of protecting its own citizens. Regional policing of contiguous local governments, which would provide faster response times and actually provide for the public safety, would be permitted. State police protection would be permitted only with an annual assessment based on the estimated work required.

The Lehigh Valley has been balkanized since its inception with far too many municipalities that lead to very weak local governments that fail to provide basic services. Just last week, I say how one rainstorm turned Messinger Street into a river in Bangor. It apparently happens all the time. 

If a local government is unable to serve its own community, it should no longer exist.

Hercules Cement Wants to Hurl More Nitrous Oxide in Our Air

Becky Bartlett worked during Lamont McClure's administration in NorCo as a Deputy Administrator. I think I knew her before then because she volunteered in several state house races here in the Nazareth area. She handled his news releases. I sometimes see her and her husband, walking their dogs, and scared them half to death when I rode by them very early in the morning on a hot summer day. 

Becky also is the publisher of Upper Nazareth Meetings hyperlocal blog, where she keeps a very close eye on what is going on there, and with far fewer opinions than I inject into my stories. But she certainly has them and was at Northampton County Council last week to share her concern that Hercules Cement wants to unleash mor nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. Here's what she had to say:

On August 1, 2026, the Hercules Cement Company (Buzzi Unicem), posted a Public Notice in The Morning Call in regard to lowering the control of its emissions of “nitrogen oxides and/or volatile organic compounds” at their plant in Stockertown./p>

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) describes nitrogen oxides (NO x) as a cause of respiratory irritation, worsened asthma and decreased lung function. Volatile organic compounds (VOC) cause eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, nausea, loss of coordination and damage to the liver. Some VOCs are also classified as suspected carcinogens.

The Lehigh Valley is ranked as having one of the highest concentrations of asthma cases. We are 6th in the nation for asthma-related ER visits. The Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America’s “2025 Asthma Capitals Report” ranks Allentown as the 3rd worst location for people with asthma. The American Lung Association’s 2025 “State of the Air” report ranks our area as 50th for particle pollution with Northampton County as the worst county in the region for ground level ozone and short-term particle pollution.

I am requesting that, in the interest of protecting the health of our residents, County Council files a formal objection to Buzzi Unicem’s request to decrease the control of their emissions of nitrogen oxides and/or volatile organic compounds within the 30-day comment period. Written comments may be submitted to Mark Weikszner, Program Manager, Air Quality Program at 2 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702-1915 or meikszner@pa.gov.

Later in the meeting, Exec Tara Zrinski, a committed environmentalist long before she was ever a politician, made clear that she would file formal objections. This is something we all can do. 

My friends on the right will complain that government regulations can be burdensome and just add red tape. And in many cases, they are right. But there's a difference between that and what really are protections desgned to protect the health and safety of our loved ones.   

Allentown Waterfront Owner Claims Developers John Palumbo and Anthony Maneri Diverted $21 Million

In 2023, developer John Palumbo was in front of Allentown's City Council, smugly playing hardball over zoning changes he was seeking for two parking lots alomg the massive Allentown Waterfront project on Front Street. But Palumbo, along with fellow developer Anthony Maneri, are now themselves on the wrong end of a massive lawsuit, filed in Lehigh County's Orphans Court, alleging that they both diverted millions for their own benefit.

A good chunk of the Allentown Waterfront, including the former Neuweiler Brewery and American Atelier Building, is owned by Urban Residential Properties. The American Atelier, by the way, recently went up in flames. 

Urban Residential Properties is itself mostly owned (89%) by the Irrevocable Ruth Rachel Green Trust established for the benefit of Alex Wright. Green also owns 10% in an individual capacity, with the remaining 1% owned by Wright. 

Palumbo was a Trustee but was removed in March. Maneri was brought in Palumbo, ostensibly to help fund the project. 

According to a very lengthy Accounting Action filed by the Trust, both Palumbo and Maneri are accused of diverting at least $21 million from an open-ended mortgage for other projects. This includes over $12.5 million from the Neuweiler Lofts, $4.5 million in transfers to some outfit called Wonder Q and $5.4 million in unauthorized loans to Maneri. 

In the meantime, the Neuweiler Lofts project was behind schedule, over budget, with shoddy work and stalled construction. 

This action has been brought by Kevin T Fogerty, Esq. It certainly has all the earmarks of fraud.  
 

Zrinski Apologizes Over Cancellation of Elections Comm'n Meeting

On Wednesday, I told you that the NorCo Elections Comm'n was forced to postpone a meeting that was scheduled to take place that day because no agenda had been posted on the county webpage 24 hours in advance, which violates the Sunshine Act. 

At last night's meeting of NorCo Council, Executive Tara Zrinski acknowledged and apologized for this oversight. "[Elections Registrar] Chris Commini neglected to post the agenda as per the Sunshine Law prior to going to his conference. He neither delegated nor completed the task, but has taken full responsibility for the need to postpone the meeting. The administration apologizes for not seeing this error in enough time to remedy it."

Zrinski: Gracedale on Track to Have Regular License Restored in January 2027

At last night's meeting of Northampton County Council, Executive Tara Zrinski reported that Gracedale is on track to have its regular license restored by January 2027. She indicated that the state Department of Health visited the facility on July 30, her birthday, and found no deficiencies.

She specifically recognized the staff at T7 I also want to recognize the staff of T7 "for the difference they're making in residents' daily lives."

Referring to a laudatory email from a resident's family, she said that the home was complimented forthe attention given to personal grooming as well as staff encouragement to get out of bed and socialize. "People are noticing," she added.

She also speciafically recognized a Gracedale staffer who recently has been certified a professional by the American Association of Post Acute Care Nursing.

Parking Garage Project Delayed Because Successful Bidder Fails to Comply with Responsible Contractor Ordinance

On May 21, Northampton County Council approved an $11,525,000 contract with the Mohawk Group to serve as the General Contractor for the replacement of the parking deck at the courthouse complex. Work should have been underway by now, but nothing was happening. Why not?

At last night's meeting of NorCo Council, Executive Tara Zrinski explained that Mohawk failed to provide the necessary documentation to prove that it was complying with the county's responsible contractor ordinance. As a result, the county was forced to reject the bid and go with the second highest bidder, Wilmer R Schultz, Inc. . 

County Council was forced to amend its agenda to approve a contract with Wilmer R Schultz. Unfortunately, the amount of this contract was unstated. Council Solicitor Matt Deschler advised that amended agenda must be posted online within one business day, so the amount should be available sometime today. 

Zrinski assured County Council that Schultz has the necessary responsible contractor certifications. 

Artsquest Seeks "Main Street Matters" Grant

Main Street Matters is a state program "designed to support our downtown cores and surrounding neighborhoods with tools to create healthy, vibrant, and welcoming communities. Funding is available to support revitalization efforts in planning, business support, aesthetic improvements, and the increase of safety and security."

ArtsQuest would like some of that dough. It will be making a presentation today before County Council's Economic Development Committee, and a few hours later, Council will be asked to approve a resolution to seek the grant on behalf of the biggest non-profit group in the Lehigh Valley, which hosts innumerable free events every year. This seems like a no-brainer.

Last year, Governor Josph Shapiro's DCED approved a $1 million grant for the "Gateway on Fourth," a 120-unit apartment complex that will actually provide affordable housing. But three members of NorCo Council would rather give tax breaks for luxury apartments.