What Governmental Reforms Would You Like to See?

Below is a list of government reforms proposed, way back in 2016, by Ron Beitler (now a Lehigh County Comm'r), myself and a few readers. These were sent to then Governor Tom Wolf and the Lehigh Valley delegation to the state house and senate. I never received a reply.  

These are neither Republican nor Democratic proposals. You either believe in good government or you don't. Feel free to add any suggestions you have. 

1. Term limits now and tweak the terms. Three four-year terms for State Reps. Two six-year terms for State Senators. A two-year term for State Reps is too short. They have to start campaigning for the next election virtually the day after they win. (I would oppose term limits for municipal offices because it is hard enough to attract people.)

2. Reduce the size of PA government so state rep districts have 85,000 people within. This is small enough to maintain constituent services at the current level, but large enough to eliminate 52 positions entirely.

3. Eliminate pensions for elected officials. Salaries for a full-time state legislator should be adjusted to be the median for the district represented. It is a full-time job, but not a career. Pensions are for career positions.

4. Enact Resign-to-run rules that would apply to any full-time elected position that draws a taxpayer funded salary.  Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley should not be able to use the perks of his office as a springboard to the state senate. The only exception is if the candidate is in the final year of his term.  

5. End gerrymandering by establishing independent commissions to do the redistricting. (The current commission is appointed by incumbents to help them keep their jobs.  

6. Require all candidates for statewide office to file campaign finance reports electronically so the people know immediately how the campaign is being funded. Too many candidates refuse to file electronically, and the state elections office is never in a hurry to get reports online.  Each county government should adopt ordinances requiring that campaign finance reports be posted on the county webpage within 24 hours of filing. (NorCo lists campaign finance reports, but this is at the whim of the Exec, who could change her mid tomorrow. County Council needs to adopt an ordinance requiring their publication).

7. Ban the use of campaign funds for criminal defense.

8. Increase penalties for noncompliance with state campaign finance laws and continue the requirement that a candidate pay for violations out of his own personal funds.

9. All local governments should be required to provide an Internet broadcast of every meeting. If it is too expensive, the government should be dissolved.

10. Ban gifts of any kind, on a state and local level.

12. Require receipts for per diem payments.

13. Allow independent voters to participate in Primary Elections.

14. Ban local governments and school districts from attaching risky derivative "swaps" to their debt.

15. Ban candidates or elected officials from using campaign funds to make contributions to any other PAC or candidate committee. This prevents money laundering and ensures that money given to a candidate is used only for his campaign.

16. Limit campaign expenses to year of election requiring forfeiture of unspent monies. Eliminate rolling campaign accounts and expenditures in non election years. I believe district magistrates must spend it or lose it and cannot accumulate funds when they are unopposed. Similar rules for everybody.

17. LIST candidates on the ballot (per office) in random order with no party affiliation attached.

18. In addition to term limits, place "None of the Above" on the ballot for every elective office. If "None of the Above" wins a majority or plurality of the votes, the other candidates are disqualified and a new slate of candidates (including "None of the Above") must be drawn for a new election. Lather, rinse and repeat until someone other than "None of the Above" receives a majority of the votes.

*****

Some new ideas 

19. Limit both individual and PAC contributions to $1,000 a year. 

20. Ban all public employees from contributing to candidates in races for the municipality by which they are employed. 

21. Prohibit all individuals who contribute to candidates for a specific municipality from having any form of business relationship with that municipality for a period of two years after making the contribnution. 

NorCo Council Member Jason Boulette's Facebook Page Includes Explanations of His Votes

Jason Boulette is one of four new members of Northampton County Council. I want to draw your attention to his Facebook page. Of course, much of it is self-promotional, which is to be expected from someone who must periodically seek public approbation. But I like his occasional "Transparency Tuesday," in which he explains his votes and gets occasional feedback from other Council members and, of course, the public. In Lehigh County, Ron Beitler does much the same thing. He's a bit busy now with Controller Mark Pinsley's proposed intangible property tax, which is disguised as a "wealth tax."

Pinsley's So Called Wealth Tax Under Fire

Blogger's Note: Below is an op-ed written by Lehigh County Comm'r Ron Beitler (Independent), Lehigh County Comm'r Antonio Pineda (Republican) and Phil Armstrong, former Lehigh County Exec, Democrat. 

Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley has proposed recycling an antiquated county intangible personal property tax by branding it a “wealth tax.” Once levied by counties in Pennsylvania, it disappeared 25 years ago for many reasons: legal challenges, administrative problems and broad acknowledgement that it was bad policy.

Most concerning, the current label of a “wealth tax” is a sales pitch. Political marketing. It makes the proposal sound narrow, targeted and aimed only at billionaires. That is not accurate.

This is not a tax exclusively on the ultra wealthy or the “Elon Musks” of the world. Plain and simple, it's a tax on personal financial assets. It hits common savings tools and certain small business ownership interests. Stocks, bonds, mutual funds and non-retirement brokerage accounts are all specifically named in the Controller’s report. The enabling law also raises unresolved questions about other useful family, retirement and estate planning tools, including custodial brokerage accounts, 529 college accounts and private mortgages held as assets. These are all tools working families, seniors, parents saving for their children and small business owners use to make responsible plans for their futures. As presented, this tax has no minimum income threshold. And adding one later may only deepen the legal problem because the 1913 law does not clearly give the County the authority to create one.

This is all part of the central problem. The public is being sold a narrow tax on extreme wealth, but the actual proposal reaches everyone. Repeating a misleading label does not change what the tax actually does nor does it change who it hurts.

This is not a Republican, Democratic or Independent concern. That is why the three of us, from different political backgrounds, agree on this point: Lehigh County should not revive a legally risky tax on savings, common investment tools and small businesses.

While some might dance around what this really is, others are more direct, describing this kind of saving as “hoarding wealth.” We strongly disagree. For generations of Lehigh Valley families, including people who worked hard their entire lives at places like Mack, Bethlehem Steel and other local employers, saving was not "hoarding wealth". These were not millionaires hiding money. They were working families taking responsibility for their futures, supporting children, driving modest cars, fixing what they could and planning ahead so they would not have to depend on the government later. That is basic financial discipline. We should encourage it, not punish it.

At a time when credit card debt is near record highs, younger folks struggle to save or invest, family sustaining jobs are harder to find, and basic costs keep rising, the answer is not to punish folks who manage to save. We should want people to work, save, invest and build security, not tax the same dollars a second or even third time because they planned responsibly.

The proposal also hits small businesses at exactly the wrong time.

Supporters claim owner-operated small businesses would be excluded, but Mr. Pinsley’s own report admits very common small business structures are actually the source of the majority of revenue. These are not exotic structures used only by the wealthy. They are common ways small businesses, especially family businesses, are organized.

Small business owners routinely work 50, 60 or more hours a week under pressures most never see: payroll, rent, insurance, utilities, supplies, repairs, maintenance, taxes, compliance, permitting, staffing and constant uncertainty.

For most small business “wealth” is not cash sitting in a bank account. It's tied up in equipment, inventory, buildings, debt, invoices and the business itself. On paper, a business owner may look successful. But in reality, many are fighting every month to make payroll, cover bills and keep the doors open, yet still find time and resources to sponsor youth teams, support fundraisers, and donate to fire companies, schools, churches, nonprofits and community events. This is exactly the wrong environment to pile another tax on small business owners and could force them to either cut back on their community support, or not grow their business.

The legal risk is also serious.

If this tax were clearly legal and clean, the county would not need outside tax counsel, as recommended by the Controller in his report, to find a constitutional workaround. This alone should raise alarms. This sounds less like confidence in the law and more like shopping for a legal theory to support the outcome they want. Passing a constitutionally suspect tax does not just invite a lawsuit. It would send taxpayers the bill.

Lehigh County should focus on controlling costs, delivering core services and encouraging economic growth.

This is not a bold new idea. It's a recycled bad idea that every county that once had it walked away from. Taxing savings discourages saving. Taxing investment discourages investment. Taxing small business ownership discourages growth, expansion, and job creation.

Do not be fooled. This proposal is not a so-called wealth tax. It is an asset tax. A broad tax on common savings tools and small businesses that punishes responsible behavior, creates huge legal risk and adds another burden at exactly the wrong time. Lehigh County should reject it clearly, publicly and permanently.

Commissioner Ron W. Beitler, Independent

Commissioner Antonio Pineda, Republican

Phil Armstrong, former Lehigh County Executive, Democrat

A Trip Around the LV Blogosphere

For a time, the Lehigh Valley Blogosphere was pretty much a desert. Aside from Michael Molivinsky and your truly, few others were willing tor had the time to provide a local perspective. Thanks in part to Substack, that has been changing in recent years. 

Molovinsky on Allentown is an old fart who focuses primarily on Allentown, as his blog title suggests, although he does occasionally roam into other issues. Now if you read this guy, you might think he really must be some obnoxious asshole. But if you meet him in person, you'll soon realize you were right. Especially if you are employed by The Morning Call. Actually, Michael and I are friends. This is a matter of necessity because everyone else hates us. 

Lehigh Valley News Briefs is an excellent place for in-depth stories on what really is going on in our bizarre non-profit community, where entities like DaVinci, the Bethlehem Food Co-op and Lehigh Valley Public Media routinely con local officials into doling out our tax dollars for ventures that go nowhere. Publisher Jeff Ward is an accomplished alumnus of Bloomberg News. 

Armchair Lehigh Valley is made up of journalists and editors who at one time or another worked for the dailies. These folks have a lot of institutional knowledge about the Lehigh Valley that unfortunately is missing from what's left of our local newspapers. They do a great job of covering local campaigns and elections. Armchair's latest entry is a report about a complaint filed against Lead Left, a PAC that poured $1.7 million into the Pa.07 Congressional primary in an effort to keep Bob Brooks or Ryan Crosswell from getting the Democratic nod. 

Comm'r Ron Beitler is actually a Facebook page that gives us all a bird's eye view of what is happening in Lehigh County. Beitler is a thoughtful conservative who re-registered as an Independent recently and speaks out very persuasively on issues like Mark Pinsley's so-called "wealth tax". 

Upper Nazareth Township Meetings, penned by Becky Bartlett, is a no-nonsense news site that focuses solely on what is happening in Upper Nazareth. I envy Becky because, without any training, she can tell a story without government without opinion, the way that I and others just need to do. 

Apocalypse Vibes is written by Rich Wilkins, who at one time worked on Congressional races all over the country. He has a much better insight into congressional races than most of us. 

Allentown Truth is all about the inner workings of Allentown, written from the perspective of an anonymous person who really detests Mayor Matt Tuerk. His latest is that the City had a Blues, Brew and BBQ event at which no one showed. I don't know if that's true because I wasn't there. But if nobody was there, that should include the anonymous blogger who claimed no one was there, which would mean at least he was there.  

LVCI offers the perspective of a local Everyman who sees a strange world whiz by. Sometimes he laughs. Sometimes he cries. 

If there are other local blogs out there worth reading, please let us know in the comments. 

Ron Beitler Proposes "Resign to Run" Law in Lehigh County

I often tell my evil Republican brother that the term "thinking conservative" is an oxymoron. But Lehigh County Commissioner Ron Beitler, a conservative-leaning independent, has proven me wrong. He has proposed a referendum under which voters could decide whether a county official who decides to run for office should first be required to resign. 

Here's what Beitler said on his Facebook page:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: 𝗶𝗳 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝘅𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁.

First, NO ONE is forcing anyone to run for higher office. It's a choice. Public office should not become a taxpayer-funded campaign platform for a career in politics. (staff time, communications, facilities etc)

I also don’t think politicians should be the ones deciding this question. Whether you support or not... 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀. And this legislation allows that. Voters, through referendum, would decide what their expectations are for elected County officials whose salaries and benefits they pay.

According to WFMZTV-69, Beitler's proposal is opposed by Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley, who is running for the state senate. He argued that such a requirement would mean that only the wealthy would be able to run for office and added that voters who dislike the practice of elected officials running for another office could simply refuse to vote for the candidate. 

Resign-to-run laws exist in one form or another in six states. I find the practice of running for two incompatible offices simultaneously to be particularly offensive. This often happens when a State Rep. decides to run for a state row office or the state senate and his current job at the same time. I do refuse to vote for such candidates. 

On a county level, such a law makes sense if the office seeker holds a full-time county position like Executive, Controller, Coroner, etc. Running a campaign for another office might result in an official neglecting the job he is paid to perform. I personally have no issue with a part-time elected official like a Commissioner who decides to run for something else.   

Is Lehigh County Controller's Proposed "Wealth" Tax Even Legal?

Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley, who's always running for something, always needs to have a cause du jour. In 2024, when he just happened to be running for state auditor general, he was the Pied Piper of dozens of families complaining about the overdiagnosis of medical child abuse. That's why Lehigh County no longer has a child advocacy center. Now he wants the county to impose a "progressive revenue option that he calls a wealth tax. 

His proposal, which you can read for yourself here, claims it is "consistent with the Pennsylvania Constitution." He's proposing a 0.4$ tax on stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange traded funds, brokerage investment accounts, partnership owner interests, passive business equity and pretty much everything that's not nailed down or hidden under the mattress. He proposes to exempt primary residences, checking accounts, 401ks, household savings used for normal expenses, small businesses and family-owned farms. 

Before this even gets out of the gate, I believe this will fail because it is likely illegal.

In 1831, an intangible "wealth" tax was imposed in Pennsylvania, under which the state collected tax on ontangible property and turned it over to the counties. But the Pennsylvania Supreme Court invalidated this tax to the extent that it ran afoul of the Commerce Clause. By 1988, no counties were levying this controversial tax. The state legislature has since repealed the intangible personal porperty tax and expressly prohibits counties from imposing it. Ryan Mackenzie, then a State Rep. was one of the sponsors of that legislation. 

So, like everything else that Pinsley proposes, it is much ado about nothing. 

DA Baratta Tells NorCo Council Child Advocacy Center Needed

 District Attorney Steve Barratta told NorCo Council's Courts and Corrections Committee last week that "it's a bit of an embarrassment" that the county has no child advocacy center. He acknowledged it's a "heavy lift" because a center for victims of child abuse needs both space and forensic interviewers. Most counties the size of NorCo do have child advocacy centers. He noted that Lehigh had a very vibrant center, but thanks to attacks by Controller Mark Pinsley, Lehigh Valley Hospital pulled out and the center was closed. 

He indicated that NorCo and Lehigh might work together to establish a center . 

Pinsley Drops Out of Congressional Race, Will Seek State Senate Seat Instead

Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley, who was one of seven candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for the Pa 7 Congressional seat, has dropped out of the race. He's now running for the state senate instead. He's claiming he's the strongest possible candidate to take on incumbent Jarrett Coleman.

I'd say he's the weakest and has immeasurably hurt himself by abandoning one race to seek what he perceives to be a lower hanging fruit. 

Does LC's New Exec, Aided by Controller and Congressional Wannabe, Really Want to End Human Trafficking Taskforce?

When he was running for Lehigh County Exec, Josh Siegel attempted to portray himself as a moderate who has matured and who no longer participates in "Fuck the Police" rallies and who no longer doxes mayors. Now that he's in office, he's dropped the charade. He and his Bobbsey twin, Lehigh County Controller and Congressional candidate Mark Pinsley, called a press conference to announce that they were evicting ICE from office space in a Lehigh County building. Siegel said he was evicting them and "would not accept their blood money." Pinsley crowed, "We're going to deport ICE." Sounds good. I don't like ICE myself. Except what these two maroons are really doing is putting an end to a task force that investigates human trafficking out of those county offices. 

These are the same two dumbasses who wanted to give you both an increased sales tax and a county income tax.    

Commissioner Ron Beitler, unlike either Siegel or his sidekick, offers this insight into what really is going on.

Lehigh County was in the news today following a hastily assembled press event by the County Controller. Commissioners were notified only shortly before it occurred.

Before I get into what happened, I want to be clear about where I am coming from. I consider myself politically independent. I do not operate with a team mentality and I believe that shows in my posts. I try to start with 2 things. First, a factual foundation for decision making. Second, advocacy for what I believe is in the best interest of Lehigh County. Period. That approach does not always fit neatly into partisan boxes.

Today, the Controller and County Executive called for the immediate eviction of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from county owned office space in Allentown, asserting that a federal agency has occupied the space for years without a fully executed lease or rent payments.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺. 𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲.

A memorandum of understanding was signed by Homeland Security Investigations on October 31, 2022. It was passed unanimously by a Democrat majority and signed into law by a Democrat executive. This was before the current political environment surrounding immigration enforcement.

The intent was for the office to work closely with the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement, particularly on investigations involving human trafficking and other serious crimes. Much of this productive collaboration has been driven by our world class County Regional Intelligence Center.

Today, nothing has changed with the scope of work occurring in that office space. It remains a human trafficking task force. Critically important work. 𝗜𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗜𝗖𝗘.

How do I know this? I picked up the phone and called the District Attorney and asked. Apparently neither the Controller nor the County Executive took the time to do the same. That is disappointing. Our District Attorney, who is well respected across the aisle, confirmed that the original intent of the agreement is being fulfilled and that the work being done there is exactly what it is supposed to be.

𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲?

There is a legitimate issue that needs to be addressed. The lease and payment process stalled due to unresolved signature authority issues on the DHS side, which caused the MOU and subsequent lease to languish in the County Department of Law. That happens. Anyone who has dealt with intergovernmental agreements knows these issues can take time to resolve. This was a bureaucratic issue stemming on the fed side. DHS has indicated an intent to pay outstanding amounts once a fully executed agreement is in place. 𝗜 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘀𝗼.

𝗪𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵.

This situation is being framed as something it is not. What we are dealing with is a federal bureaucratic failure and a stalled lease process, NOT an ICE operation in a county building and NOT a change in the work being done in that space. Conflating the two misleads residents and undermines trust in county government.

We deserve better than press release driven opportunism. We owe residents facts, coordination among elected officials, and decisions rooted in those facts rather than political theater. In today’s environment, careless implications about what is happening inside county facilities, especially when untrue, can inflame tensions and put people at risk.

Furthermore evicting the DHS from this county building is NOT evicting ICE (they aren't operating out of the building). It is evicting a critically important human trafficking task force. To think politicians would put that relationship at risk to score political points is.... well sad. I can't think of another way to put it. This whole thing is sad.

I don't do theater. Above is my understanding of this issue.

What questions do you have? I will do my best to answer them.

***𝘛𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘕𝘖𝘛 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘐𝘊𝘌. 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭***

Readers of this blog know I think ICE is totally out of control. Just today, I viewed a news account about off-duty police officers who are American citizens being targeted by ICE in the Minneapolis area simply because of their skin color. 

But leave it to Siegel and Pinsley to make ICE look good.  

How Much Are Pa. 7's Congressional Candidates Worth?

As I told you yesterday, six Democrats want to be their party's candidate to take on Ryan Mackenzie in November's Pa.7 Congressional election. Candidates who intend to raise or spend more than $5,000 must file a financial disclosure with the Clerk of the US House within 30 days of raising or spending that amount. These disclosures are unrelated to the funds raised or spent on a campaign. They instead identify the assets and income. 

At this point, the "qualified" candidates on the Dem side are Robert Brooks, Ryan Crosswell, Lamont McClure, Carol Obando-Derstine and Mark Pinsley. All of these candidates have filed financial disclosure reports, although Pinsley was late with his required report and will be fined. 

What the reports reveal is that all of the candidates, with the exception of Crosswell, participate in mutual funds.

Robert Brooks. -  reports assets and unearned income of at least $963,000. This includes a residential rental property valued at between $250,000 and $500,000 and the stocks in multiple mutual funds.  He reports salaries of $20,000 from Bethlehem and $50,000 from the Pa Professional Firefighter's Ass'n, as well as business income of $15,000 from his lawn care business. 

He reports debt of between $380,000 and $850,000 based on a residential mortgage, an investment property mortgage, and outstanding debt to Darrell and Linda Crook. He failed to list a $130,000 judgment owed to Carol Wiley, his former mother-in-law, since 2022. 

A title search of Northampton County records reveal that Brooks owns no real estate under his own name, nor is there any recorded mortgage in which he is listed. 

Something is very fishy about Brooks' disclosure.

Ryan Croswell. - reports having no assets or unearned income. He apparently participates in no mutual funds or the stock market. He reports a salary of $47,104.62 before he resigned from the Department of Justice. He also has received $13,542.12 from the Department of Defense and has received 1099s from the Singleton Schreiber law firm for $4,394.50. That law firm has no offices in this part of the country. He also lists the Antonin Scalia School of Law as a potential source of wages.  

Crosswell owes between $10,000-50,000 for a car loan. 

Lamont McClure. - reports assets and unearned income of at least $343,000 through his participation in various mutual funds. His income was his $85,000 salary as NorCo Exec. He also lists his wife's salary and pension. 

McClure's debt is between $90,000 and $215,000 for his mortgage, a loan to replace his roof, a third loan to fix his fireplace so Santa could come down and an auto loan. 

Carol Obando-Derstine. - reports assets and unearned income of at least $500,000 through her participation in mutual funds. Her income was a $44,410 salary from PPL. Like McClure, she also lists her spouse's salary. She lists no debts to anyone. 

Mark Pinsley. - His report was just filed on January 5, and though he lists his participation in numerous mutual funds and stocks, I have been unable to do the math at this point. He lists a salary of $79,000 as Lehigh County's Controller. He also lists his wife's salary. 

His debt is between $325,000 and $665,000 for a business loan and lines of credit from three credit card companies. 

What about incumbent Republican Ryan Mackenzie? I have a report from him for 2025 and am looking to see if there is something more recent. 

Pa 07 Congressional Race Attracts Two New Candidates

Two new candidates - Aiden Alexander Gonzales and Michael Ramon Granados, Jr., - have filed Statements of Candidacy in the crowded race for Pa. 7's Congressional seat. That district includes Lehigh, Northampton and a portion of Carbon County. 

Gonzales is a Democrat while Granados is an independent. 

Incumbent Ryan Mackenzie, a Republican, has no primary challengers. But the number of Democrats who want to go to Washington now stands at six. Other Democrats are Ryan Croswell, Lamont McClure, Carol Obando-Derstine, Robert Brooks and Mark Pinsley. 

Gonzalez already has a website that sticks to bread-and-butter issues like jobs, the economy, housing and healthcare. He supports the American Health Act, which places all US citizens in a single-payer system. He also wants to incentivize real estate development (can you say tax breaks) and make it more difficult for foreign buyers to purchase real estate. 

According to their Statements of Candidacy, Gonzales lives in Bethlehem's Woodmont Mews Apartment complex while Granados lives in the Stata West apartments in downtown Allentown. 

McClure's Planned Furlough of Human Services Caseworkers Widely Condemned by Dems and Rs Alike

SEIU rallies to oppose furloughs

On Thursday, I broke the story that NorCo Exec Lamont McClure had sent a required 30-day furlough notice to SEIU, the union that represents about 175 caseworkers in the county's human services department. Although McClure called the furlough an "option of last resort," he made clear that he would refuse to borrow money or invade the rainy-day fund. Unless the gridlock over the state budget is overcome, it's pretty clear that is what he intends to do. He has already stopped paying vendors who provide human services to the county in various different programs. SEIU responded to the furlough notice by holding a noon news conference on Friday at the Human Services Building in Bethlehem Tp. I received no notice myself, but found out accidentally, and decided to cycle down and cover it. I was astonished to see that Controller Tara Zrinski, who is running for County Executive with McClure's support, has split sharply with him over this issue. She is adamantly opposed to any type of layoff. So is nearly everyone else. Like me, GOP Exec candidate Tom Giovanni was likely excluded from the union's invitation list. But he agrees with Tara. So does Council President Lori Vargo Heffner. I was unable to contact all nine members of Council or those running for the position, but with the exception of Ken Kraft, everyone I spoke to is opposed to any kind of furlough. (I have included statements from them below).

Ce-Ce Gerlach

Most of the 150 or so people at this rally on a balmy Friday afternoon were caseworkers. But I was surprised to see a few other politicians at this event as well. They included Ce-Ce Gerlach, who is running for State Rep in Allentown. She was placed on ARD after taking a minor to a homeless encampment and dumping him off there. Congressional hopeful Mark Pinsley was also there, trying to score a few points with caseworkers he attempted to alienate last year with spurious claims that they were unnecessarily separating children from their families. Easton City Council member Taiba Sultana showed up after it was over, but she later shot a Facebook Live to summarize what had happened at an event she missed.  She also was placed on ARD for assaulting her adult son.

Kizzie Johnson, SEIU's shop steward, said the very first question that caseworkers had after hearing of the impending layoffs is, "What about our clients?"

Of aging adults, she asked "Who's going to go to their houses and make that they're safe and that they're being protected? We have drug and alcohol clients, we have clients that have mental health disturbances. Who is going to be providing them with the services? We have early intervention. We have babies that we take care of , children from the age of zero to 18, that are in foster care. Who is going to make sure that they are stable? Who's going to make sure that they are safe? Who's going to make sure that when bad things are happening to them, they have somebody to reach out to? If we're all gone, who is going to help?"

The big surprise was Controller Tara Zrinski. I suspected this might be a breaking point between her and McClure. He has not only contributed from his own warchest to her Exec race but has helped her get a great deal of financial support from the trade unions. I expected mild disagreement, but she provided a forceful denunciation of McClure's planned furlough, even to the point of ridiculing his logic. 

Here's what she said:

Tara Zrinski

As Northampton County Controller, I see where every county dollar goes. The current situation is real, our Q3 projections narrowly fulfill our budget obligations and in Q4, our projections are $19,412,000 which we will not meet at all without the state funding for human services. This is a double whammy from the State and Federal Government at this point and I know the blame lies squarely on the Republicans who are obstructing the passage of the budget at both levels of government, but, we cannot sit idly by when there are other options besides.

The burden of political gridlock should not rest on the shoulders of the very people who are the backbone of our community—caseworkers protecting children from abuse, crisis workers responding to mental health emergencies, and staff supporting our aging parents and grandparents. These jobs are not luxuries. They are lifelines for our community members.. We cannot sit idly by when there are other options.

As a hard-working single mom in this community, I believe deeply in the dignity of work, the stability of our families, and the responsibility the government has to protect both. And I know this much: furloughing human services workers is unnecessary, it is wrong and it will end up costing us far more in the end.

We should not punish workers because Harrisburg has failed to pass a budget. The obstruction in the state Senate has real consequences: children left more vulnerable, seniors left isolated, and workers put in impossible situations. But the County Executive is not powerless. There are alternatives that can and should be pursued before we upend people’s lives.

These are not faceless numbers on a spreadsheet. These are the caseworkers who protect children from abuse, the crisis workers who answer mental health emergencies, and the staff who care for our aging parents and grandparents. They are frontline workers who make our community safer and stronger. Cutting their paychecks destabilizes not just their families, but every family in Northampton County.

When we furlough these workers, it’s not just their families who suffer—it’s the families they serve. What happens when a child in crisis has no caseworker to answer the call? What happens when a senior with no family has no one to check in on them? What happens when a neighbor facing a mental health emergency has no crisis worker to intervene? The truth is, lives will be put at risk. Interrupting mandated services doesn’t just create delays or inconvenience—it creates dangerous gaps in protection and care that can mean the difference between safety and tragedy.

We need to create avenues of mutual aid within the community by calling on community partners to fill some of the gaps in human services. We have already delayed funds to service providers but we did not entertain temporary redistribution of County Funds or a Tax Anticipation Note, which would allow us to borrow against anticipated property tax revenue. This TAN would be paid back when the State passes a budget but with approximately $350,000 - $400,000 of accumulated interest. This has been the sticking point for the administration that has no desire to bail the State out because the interest would not be paid back by the State. We cut our nose off to spite our face though. That interest is a small small price to pay for the safety of our community and the security of our workforce that knows we have their backs. Literally, it is an estimated 2 cents for every $1000 of assessed property value in the County.

Well, here are my 2 cents– County Executive McClure has presented this as an inevitability. But there is nothing inevitable about abandoning our workforce. There are alternatives. There are reserves, reallocations, and other strategies available that don’t involve punishing workers or jeopardizing public safety. Leadership means problem-solving—not taking the easy way out by balancing the books on the backs of our workforce. When we destabilize human services, we invite higher long-term costs, greater risks, and more pain for the very residents we are sworn to protect. So today I stand with SEIU 668 workers, and I call on County Executive McClure: stop these furloughs. Protect the people who protect Northampton County. And I call on Harrisburg legislators: end the gridlock. Pass a fair budget now. You are literally arguing over what amounts to 6% of your overall budget– for what? To lower medicaid, to take away SNAP benefits. Where are the adults in the room?

This is about more than a budget line. It is about the social contract we honor when we ask men and women to devote their lives to caring for others. It is about whether we—the county, the state, and this nation—are willing to stand up for our workforce when they need us most. We must stand with them today, I stand with them.—because when they are secure, our whole community is secure.

Tom Giovanni, Zrinski's opponent in the Executive race, is on the same page as she. Here's a statement he provided. 

Giovanni with his better half.

“As a candidate for Northampton County Executive, I believe it is unacceptable that the current administration has chosen to cut essential programs and furlough hardworking employees simply because Harrisburg has failed to pass a state budget. Leadership is about preparation, responsibility, and putting people first. Our county should never be held hostage to gridlock in the state capital.

Instead of hurting workers to make a political point, I recommended that the administration follow Treasurer Stacy Garrity’s example of providing loans to counties to cover short-term budget needs. That would have protected services and employees while avoiding unnecessary disruption.

The stabilization fund had 16 million dollars in 2024. The current administration took about 9.5 million dollars to balance the 2025 County budget. That fund currently has about 7 million dollars, the minimum amount allowed.I would use some money from the Stabilization Account and take the loan from Treasurer Stacy Garrity to keep our people from being furloughed.

As County Executive, I will ensure that Northampton County operates with stability, accountability, and foresight—no matter the dysfunction in Harrisburg.”

He would both use the stabilization (rainy-day) fund and borrow. 

Council President Lori Vargo Heffner is also opposed to the proposed furlough, calling it a betrayal of a pledge that McClure made in August: 

Lori Vargo Heffner

I was shocked to hear that the current administration Is considering furlough as a method of dealing with the current gridlock in Harrisburg. In August, I spoke with Mr. McClure and Mr Barron regarding concerns about our budget if the state would not be settled soon. They both assured me they had no plan to let go of any employees and that services would need to be addressed first. This weeks’ announcement was not only shocking but an appalling betrayal of our valued employees who devote their time and effort and energy to our most vulnerable citizens. 

These employees are not people with six figure salaries. These are people who dedicate themselves to the service of others and then go home and take care of their own families' needs. They depend on their paychecks. Most if not all are union members. The suggestion of furlough is not to be tolerated or even entertained until the council is presented with information that shows that we are at such a point that we cannot afford to pay these salaries. 

There appears to be a great deal of manipulation in our budget. Recent financial discussions by council have shown that money has been moved and manipulated without our consent several times. I’m sure if we go back to this budget we will be able to find money to address both short term and long-term solutions. We need to hear from the administration immediately to determine what areas are concerning or at risk. I asked last week for Miss Wandaloski to present a list in writing of the deficits that we are facing for the human services committee meeting. If we are in such dire straits that we need to furlough employees, then I would expect to see this list sooner so council can begin to plan to begin to address the deficit that is pending. 

Utilization of what’s left in the stabilization fund is a starting point. Additionally, this administration has never been shy about requesting funding or refinancing for our debts or to build new buildings in homage to ourselves. We entertain the idea of a short term loan from a viable source. This does not suggest that I believe we should take advantage of the state treasurer's plan. We have been told innumerable times that we have an excellent bond rating, so we could look into alternative financing to support our employees. I stand by the message that the CCAP Board has put together & council passed in a resolution earlier stating that everyone needs to get back to the table and work to finalize this budget now. I am fed up with the idea that people on both sides of the aisle are using this budget impasse for their own political gain. People’s lives are not toys and this game is becoming dangerous. It’s time to communicate honestly and collaborate to find a reasonable solution.

Council member John Goffredo. NorCo Council's most outspoken conservative, also slammed the furlough. He would use the stabilization fund and borrow as well. He argued that we "have to show some loyalty to the staff." Loquacious Democrat Ron Heckman feels the same way. He would use the stabilization fund and, if necessary, borrow. He noted that "county social services are our fundamental responsibility and condemned the "lack of communication with council" before reaching this decision. 

Council candidate Jason Boulette was at the presser and is opposed to the furlough. He would consider a loan and the stabilization fund. 

Jon Irons, a Lehigh County Commissioner who refuses to pledge allegiance, said his county has avoided this by taking out a loan. 

The only elected official I spoke with who actually agrees with McClure is County Council member Ken Kraft, who only supports unions if they happen to be trade unions.  "I would not use the stabilization fund, I would ask that the republicans get off their hands and stop this nonsense and pass a budget already. I believe that if we have no money to perform these functions then we do not perform them. I will not vote to have the county borrow money and pay interest so these republicans can hold the entire state hostage. And NO I will not vote to use the stabilization fund either."

Robert Brooks And His In-Laws

It's been rumored for the past month or so that Robert Brooks, a retired Bethlehem firefighter and current President of the Pa Professional Firefighters' Ass'n, was going to be announcing his candidacy for the now crowded race for the Democratic nomination to the Pa.-07 Congressional seat currently held by Republican Ryan Mackenzie. Yesterday, rumor became reality. Brooks not only announced but did so with multiple text bombs. I got three nearly identical text messages from him, except for the ask. The first just requested a "donation today." A second asked me to be a "Founding Donor." A third asked me to split a donation between "The Next 50 and me." He also received the endorsement of Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders, who asked me to send $27. 

Brooks, who was able to retire and start collecting a defined benefit pension after just 20 years in Bethlehem, proclaims himself as an everyman. Aside from government employees, I know of very few people who have that kind of perc. 

Other things bother me much more. He has previously supported Lamont McClure in the Pa.-07 Congressional race and has even sent text messages calling him a "strong Democrat with a proven track record of putting out fires and a long history of standing up to corruption." Would an everyman suddenly stab someone in the back the way Brooks just did?

And is he even really a Democrat?  

In 2019, he posted the Clint Eastwood meme you see above, which stand for some well-known Republican ideals. I could understand a Democrat might endorse second amendment rights. He might think we need stronger discipline. He might want us all to tougher on crime. He might even think prayer in schools is a good idea. But if he supports all of these, it's time for him to change his party registration. What bothers me most is the skull with a Roman numeral III. This signifies the three percenters, "a decentralized, far-right, anti-government movement in the United States." 

Finally, he's simply not a very nice person. Let me explain why.

In 2008, his in-laws transferred a residential property to him and his then wife and even fronted the cost of subdividing the property to the tune of $55,000. Everyman Brooks promised to pay the money back but never did. Eventually, he and his then wife agreed to sign a promissory note for the money, with monthly payment of $630. He never paid a cent. He was sued, and a $130,000 award was entered against him in 2020. In an effort to string things along, he appealed but lost in a unanimous Pennsylvania Superior Court ruling. In 2022, judgment was entered against him for $130,000. 

That judgment remains open of record. 

After screwing over his in-laws, he and his wife eventually parted ways, with a divorce being granted in 2018. He finally quitclaimed his interest in the property to his ex-wife in 2022. But before that happened, two foreclosure actions were filed against him. And he was sued by two credit card companies. He currently owns no real estate. 

He's no working-class hero. A man who screwed over his own family and who dropped a candidate he said he supported is someone who will drop the working class he now pretends to champion. 

Other Democrats in this race include NorCo Exec Lamont McClure, Susan Wild- puppet Carol Obando-Derstine, blatant opportunist Mark Pinsley, and carpetbagger and pretend-Democrat Ryan Crosswell. 

McClure Leads Dems in Early Poll For Pa. 7 Congressional District

So far, four Democrats are seeking their party's nomination for next year's Pa.-7 congressional battle against incumbent Ryan Mackenzie. Lamont McClure was the first out of the gate. He even dropped plans to seek a third term as Exec, which means NorCo taxpayers will be spared from paying his salary as he runs for another office. Lehigh County taxpayers will be less lucky. Controller Mark Pinsley, who's always running for something, will continue to collect his salary as he spends his days on the campaign trail. There's also Carol Obando-Derstine, recruited to run by Sue Wild.  Ms. Wild was beaten by Mackenzie in last year's race. She apparently thinks that she, and not voters, decides the next Democratic nominee. Finally, there's Republican-recently turned-Democrat Ryan Croswell, a carpetbagger who just moved into the Lehigh Valley a month or so ago. Some goofy DC elitists, who think they know everything, put him up to it because they know what's best for us. Of these four announced candidates, only McClure has stood up for everyday Americans. Only McClure has consistently been a voice for organized labor. So it should come as no surprise that McClure leads in an early poll of the four candidates who've announced, and one who is still mulling it over. 

Public Policy Polling conducted a survey of 518 likely Dem voters on July 29-30 and included Bob Brooks. He's a retired Bethlehem firefighter who tells everyone he's running even though he has actually endorsed McClure. You can see it below. 

McClure leads all candidates with 23%, compared to 7% for Obando-Derstine and Pinsley, and just 3% for Croswell and Brooks. It's an early poll, with 58% undecided, but McClure has a strong lead among those who have made up their minds. 

Nearly a third (31%) of likely voters view McClure favorably, compared to just 16% for Pinsley, 11% for Obando-Derstine and a scant 6% for carpetbagger Croswell and Brooks. 

His lead is strongest in Northampton County, where he polls at 40%. 

Public Policy Polling Gives McClure Lead in Pa. 7 Race by BernieOHare on Scribd

Pinsley Joins Increasingly Crowded Pa. 7 Congressional Race

According to several news outlets, Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley has announced his intention to seek the Democratic nomination in the Pa.-7 Congressional race. His Statement of Candidacy was filed with the FEC on July 30. 

He's got company, including NorCo County Exec Lamont McClure, Susan Wild puppet Carol Obando-Derstine, and Republican-turned Democrat Ryan Croswell, who resided in D.C. until he was urged to run. 

Pinsley is a poster boy for what is wrong with Democrats. He's a blatant opportunist. No sooner was he elected South Whitehall Tp Commissioner than he announced he was running against Pat Browne in a State Senate race. Undaunted after losing, he took on Lehigh County Controller Glenn Eckhart in the next election cycle and knocked him off. As Controller, he proposed both an increase in sales tax in Lehigh County as well as an income tax that would hurt low-income families that work multiple jobs just to put food on the table. He called for UN observers in the 2020 presidential election, He also revealed his true feelings about Allentown and Bethlehem when he objected to them being combined as part of redistricting. "We don't need another ghetto," he said. Well, we don't need Pinsley. While running for re-election as Lehigh County Controller, he told donors he was running for state auditor general. He did and he lost  Then he started telling donors he wanted to run for the US Senate, but appears to have put that off for a seat in the House.  

The most offensive thing about him was his use of families accused of child abuse as political props. He paraded them before both Northampton County Council and Lehigh County's Board of Comm's with unproven claims of misdiagnoses of child abuse. His claims were completely contrary to the philosophy of the human services departments in both counties, which will only separate children from their family as a last resort, and with due process.  His actions solved nothing, but he did get a $50,000 campaign donation from the lawyer who filed a class action on behalf of families claiming they were wrongly accused of child abuse. Both LehiCo and NorCo have been dismissed as Defendants in that matter. 

He's never shied away from using his public office to play politics. Most recently, he did that with a thinly disguised political rally disguised as a "town hall" to discuss planned federal cuts to Medicaid on a county level. 

I still believe that of all candidates on the left or the right, the person best suited for Congress was John Morganelli, a true centrist. He's unfortunately done with politics. Lamont McClure has been his protege. 

Counties Released From Class Action Lawsuit Alleging False Claims of Child Abuse

About 18 months ago, Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley was parading families before both Lehigh County's Board of Commissioners and Northampton County Council. Though Pinsley has no medical degrees, he nevertheless maintained that numerous Lehigh Valley families were the victims of unfounded claims of child abuse. At the very least, he insisted that county child protection agencies should seek second opinions before attempting to separate a child from his family. He even alleged that he, too, was a victim of threatened staffing cuts over a report he was releasing. 

At the time, Pinsley was running for state auditor general. Once he lost that race, his concerns about misdiagnosed child abuse mysteriously vanished. 

While he may have ridden off into the sunset, looking for the next issue he can find to propel himself into higher office, the families he once championed filed a class action lawsuit against Lehigh Valley Health Network ... in Philadelphia County. The grass there may not be greener, but the jury verdicts are. 

Lehigh Valley Health Network, in turn, has attempted to join the Children and Youth Agencies of Montgomery, Lackawanna, Monroe, Lehigh, Pike and Northampton Counties. After an importunate five tries, the Court has said, "Enough Already!" (I'm paraphrasing). Judge Gwen Bright has dismissed the attempted joinder with prejudice, meaning no more swings will be permitted.

Judge Bright issued no opinion, but the counties argued they are immune. 

The class action suit against Lehigh Valley Health Network and a cavalcade of doctors continues, with no end in sight. 

Should NorCo's Pension Board Follow Lehigh's Lead and Stop Investing in TESLA?

Let me first thank the reader who posted a comment with a link to a story indicating that, at the suggestion of Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley, its pension board has voted 4-2 to stop purchasing Tesla stock. It is also considering divesting what investments it has already made. Should NorCo's retirement board do the same?

I understand that Lehigh is sending a message - it's a big FU to Donald Trump and Elon Musk. But a retirement board has a fiduciary duty to the retirees and employees who contribute a portion of their salaries to their pensions. Any decision on the purchase of new stock should, in my view, be left to the discretion of the pension fund manager. In his view, this might actually be a good time to purchase Tesla stock. 

As for divestment, that would almost certainly result in a loss and would be a breach of the fiduciary duty owed to retirees and employees. 

That's my take. Feel free to comment if you disagree. 

Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley Hosts Political Rally Disguised as Educational Town Hall

Lehigh County Controller Mrk Pinsley has never failed to use his office for political purposes. He did it when he waded into Lehigh County's jail system with misleading information about the money charged for phone calls. He did it again when he and Exec wannabe Josh Siegel suggested a sales and county income tax double whammy to fund the "creative economy," whatever that is. And yet again when, like the Pied Piper of Hamelin, he marched parents into both counties to claim they are victims of wrongful child abuse claims.  He's learned nothing from his misjudgment. Yesterday, he hosted what was supposed to be a town hall at Lehigh County's meeting room to discuss the possible impacts of federal spending cuts, even though no one knows what the hell they are. What was billed as an educational town hall was actually a political rally. That's according to my brother Mike O'Hare, an evil Republican, who happened to attend. I dislike Trump and his policies just about as much as Pinsley, but believe government resources should be used for government, not politics. 

Here's my brother's report: 

Lehigh County controller Mark Pinsley held a "Town Hall" yesterday to discuss the effects of Federal Government budget negotiations on Medicaid-at the County level.

After 45 minutes of Trump/Mackenzie bashing, he publicly admitted that he had no real or concrete information about any budget cuts. 

Mr Pinsley did have some good and interesting information about county operations, but his presentation was more of a campaign rally than a town hall. It was clearly partisan. 

Even worse was the clearly biased presentation by Mr. Dwayne J Heisler from Penn Policy. He spent time talking about the 2017 "tax scam" and handing out flyers about "Trump's giveaway to corporations and the ultra-rich". 

There would certainly be no problem with this event if it was held in a non government location, but this was held on a workday in the public hearing room of the Lehigh County Government Center. Wrong!

There were handouts, room setup/ teardown, and A/V support all provided at county expense. Very Wrong!  Maybe the controller should investigate himself. 

Does the County executive know what's going on in the government center? Seems like he's AWOL. 

Mr. Pinsley, controller, promised more "town halls". If so, he should stop all the partisan rhetoric or move them to a non government location. 

Siegel Definitely Running For LeHi Co Exec

Earlier this month, I told you that State Rep. Josh Siegel intended to run for county exec in Lehigh. He's relying heavily on support (and lots of money) from the trade unions, but you'll see nothing from firefighters or police, whom he alienated during his brief tenure as a member of Allentown City Council. According to Lehigh Valley News, he's now made it official. That's no surprise, but I am disappointed to see that he already has the backing of incumbent Phil Armstrong. He knows better. Siegel is a carbon copy of Controller Mark Pinsley, who stands for partisanship and divisiveness. 

Lehigh County at one time was more Republican than NorCo, but that has changed. Unless a decent Democrat or a viable Republican announces, he's going to win on a platform of walkability and amenities. Translation: build, build, build. 

LC Comm'r Ron Beitler Seeks Good Executive Candidates in Lehigh

Lehigh County Exec Phil "Grandpa'" Armstrong is hanging it up after his term expires at the end of next year. That's unfortunate because he has been a good and bipartisan Exec who has worked with both parties to get things done. What's really sad is that the only announced candidate to succeed him is the opposite. 

That would be Josh Siegel, a former Allentown City Council member now serving as a State Rep. in what should be a Latino district. A New Jersey transplant, Siegel is an opportunist.

As a member of Allentown City Council, Siegel voted No to grants for the Allentown police department. He voted No to filling the depleted ranks of police officers. He participated in marches with felons like Hashann Batts, where "F--- the Police1" was the battle cry. He doxed then Mayor Ray O'Connell by handing out the Mayor's phone number to angry protestors. O'Connell thereafter received threats and calls for days. 

Wait, there's more. He and Controller  Mark Pinsley a fellow opportunist, promoted foisting two new taxes on the already impoverished citizens of Allentown. First, he wanted to enact a 1% increase in Lehigh County's sales tax. Any economist could tell you that a sales tax is regressive tax and is disproportionately felt by those with limited means. 

In addition to this sales tax hike, he and Pinsley wanted to enact a county-wide income tax to create districts that promote the arts. Yes, people who are already struggling in Allentown to put food on the table would have to work harder to help fund the artsy-fartsys.  

Like Pinsley, Josh has a track record of jumping between positions. Pinsley frequently focuses his attention on things that only tangentially if at all had anything to do with the duties of the office of the controller, as he did when he paraded a coterie of parents accused of child abuse before Northampton County Council . He did so to draw attention to himself and an ill-fated bid for State Senate. In some cases things that were outside the scope of what the county is responsible for. Most local politicians do have an interest in serving the common good. But there is also a type of politician constantly thinking about the next jump and looks to garner headlines accordingly. Josh and Pinsley are those types. 

Through the grapevine, I hear Siegel pushed LC Comm'r and Chair Geoff Brace out of the race with threats of leveraging his six-figure campaign war chest. Brace is well liked across the aisle for his ethical leadership, common sense pragmatism and bipartisan cooperation. These are qualities that NorCo Council Pres Lori Vargo Heffner tries to embrace, but she pays a price among more partisan Democrats. 

Siegel’s approach would bring divisiveness, similar to what we've seen out of the Lehigh County Controller’s office.

On the Republican side, there really are no viable candidates. Ss much as I like Glenn Eckhart or Dean Browning, they are retreads at a time when fresh faces are needed. Justin Simmons' name has been mentioned, but I'm unsure his record (or lack thereof) in the state house would help him. 

Sheriff Joe Hanna would be excellent but is committed to his role as Sheriff, where he’s widely respected statewide. Comm'r Ron Betler is another new face but is only in his first term and has a new business demanding his full time attention. 

Interestingly, Beitler has appealed for Exec candidates online, and I thought I'd share what he has to say: 

𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱: 𝗟𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀

County government is often overlooked. As 1 of 9 Commissioners, we work with the Executive to manage the county. We pass budgets, ordinances and resolutions. We typically deal with non-partisan areas like health and human services, the jail, courts, farmland preservation, Cedarbrook, emergency services and county parks.

Our current group has largely avoided political squabbling and gridlock common in other government levels. In my time on the board, we’ve only had a few fundamentally ideological disagreements. Current Commissioners under the bi-partisan leadership team of Chair Geoff Brace and Vice Chair Jeffrey Dutt and Executive Phil Armstrong have mostly worked together effectively. With Phil term-limited, a new Executive will be elected next year.

The Executive oversees administration of services, drafts a (LARGE) budget, supervises departments, appoints officials, and holds the power to veto.

Currently, there’s only 1 announced candidate with a less than impressive resume. We deserve more options. We need several more qualified folks to step forward so voters have choices.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲?

An Executive should excel in budgeting while recognizing taxpayers aren’t an unlimited funding source. They need to make data-driven decisions, oversee diverse departments and be strong communicators. They must collaborate with local, state and federal officials. (Phil excels at this!) Most importantly, they must build consensus while remaining transparent.

Often, the best Executives come with a business background, bringing skills like strategic planning, efficiency and financial planning. Leadership, problem-solving, and negotiation skills are crucial. Career politicians often have not cultivated these real world skillsets.

This role should be largely free from partisanship, as there isn’t a Republican or Democrat way to for example: administer programs or preserve farmland. 𝗔 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻.

𝗡𝘂𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗼𝗹𝘁𝘀:

This is a full-time, paid position with salary and county benefits. Terms are 4 years. Unlike many political positions, the Executive is expected to be a WORKING administrator.

Want to make a difference? Do you care about people, particularly our most vulnerable? Do you have business experience? It doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican, Democrat or Independent. We need several more qualified candidates for this position.

As Executive, you’ll have the chance to shape policies and manage our community. This is a unique opportunity to lead and work with dedicated professionals and residents. If you’re interested in this challenge, I and others want to hear from you!

You can reach Ron at ronbeitler@gmail.com