Lehigh Valley Ramblings

Zrinski Addresses NorCo Primary Election Failures

2026-06-05T00:00:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday, I posted a story about NorCo Elections Comm'n meeting the previous day during which nine people (Republicans and elections workers) expressed dissatisfaction with the way the county handled May's primary. Before that meeting ever happened, there were already indications that some things were amiss. Elections Registrar Chirs Commini honestly admitted that some voters who requested mail-in ballots received them, but for the wrong party. He also acknowledged that, just like the last election cycle, some voters received the wrong ballots.

At the post-election meeting, it became clear that redistricting created issues in which some people running for state committee no longer lived in the voting district while others who did inexplicably never appeared on the ballot. There was an even more serious problem when it was discovered that epollbooks (used to check in voters) were never updated. This means that voters who had voted by mail could also cast a vote in person. Thankfully, nobody tried, but an important safeguard designed to ensure that each person votes only once, was missing. This hardly inspires public confidence. Finally, there were the usual training errors that, to be honest, are bound to happen no matter how hard you try to prevent them. Some people who work elections only two days a year are just going to make mistakes even though former Elections Registrar Amy Cozze prepared a thick binder for elections judges with the "dos" and "don'ts" on election day. Unfortunately, thanks to 30-second videos on Tik Tok and Youtube, we now have the attention spans of a housefly.

These problems, as I told you, prompted Republican Elections Comm'rs to move to suspend pop-up elections for the remainder of 2026 on the theory that we are simply tasking elections officials with too much. They are statutorily required to run three elections (Mail-in ballots, ballot-on demand and in-person). Before shackling them with a fourth election, why not wait until they can pull off an election without any major issues like one in which voters could easily have voted twice? Democrats disagreed, and they outnumbered the Republicans.

Administrator Mark Aurand told the Elections Comm'rs that there was no proof that conducting four pop-up elections or that sending two people to man a satellite office for four weeks to get a measly two votes directly caused the problems that occurred. That's true, but it's certainly a fair inference.

Executive Tara Zrinski had previously told County Council it was a "smooth" election. To her credit, she has now acknowledged the process problems at last night's meeting of NorCo Council. Though she at one point minimized them as "very few and minor hiccups," she did indicate that her office would be conducting an after-action review to determine what went right and what went wrong.

This year, we redistricted and changed several polling locations. And although party chairs were informed, as we proceeded with the approval from the state, the Northampton Republican Party chose to sue over the registering, and therefore delayed the process. ... And the Commonwealth Court approved our districts in February, February 4th, to be exact. So I want to emphasize that redistricting in a non-residential cycle when turnout is expected to be low in a non-contentious primary. Are the optimal conditions to troubleshoot and work out income kings.

This was not the way the Elections Commission saw, the very few and minor hiccups that occurred on the 19th. An elections commission meeting was held earlier this week, and complaints were brought to the commission regarding the recent primary elections, and they will be addressed. ...

No votes were counted twice, even if cast, because of the safeguards placed, or in place to ensure that everyone only gets one vote. Nonetheless, the commission is expected to certify the election results next week.

And for the administration, again, I want to emphasize that the primary election was conducted in a manner that was free, fair, secure and accurate. And while there were concerns raised, as there always are, in a large scale public process, we take those seriously and we continue to refine our procedures. Our elections office is already focused on improvements for fall. Over the next few months, priorities of the election office will include re-examining procedures to add quality assurance steps.

Re-evaluating several of the new polling places, getting the new electronic poll books up and running, and the office also plans to hold a post event analysis of the primary election. De collections success days that went well and basically not go well.

And the goal will be to enhance procedures for the general election in the fall.

It's true that nobody voted twice, which would be a felony. But this would not have been caught until after the election and unofficial votes were tabulated. Safeguards need to prevent that from happening at all. It is, however, encouraging that Zrinski has listened to what these people had to say and will tryo to minimize future errors.

Whether she knows it or not, however, she made one announcement that betrays a complete misunderstanding of the Elections Commission's role. It exists to administer elections, both under the express language of the Home Rule Charter and the Elections Code. Yet the administration has taken it upon itself to purchase new epollbooks without bothering to ask the Elections Comm'n first.

In Northampton County, the Elections Comm'n has been relegated to a perfunctory body whose sole purpose is to simply certify elections. That needs to change.

It's understandable that things have gone in this direction. Though the elections commission is required to administer elections, it is not a salary board and has no authority to set salaries. It lacks the power of the purse, which should be jealously guarded by county council. Moreover, these officials are unelected and, though they deserve our respect and gratitude for the time they spend, they should have no say in how we spend our money.

That is why Northampton County's Elections Commission, like the Board of Elections in counties that operate under the county code. should consist of County Council members and the Executive. During years in which the at-large members and Executive are running for election, they should be replaced by the four district Council members and a voter selected by the court to insure minority representation. If the at-large Council members and Exec all belong to the same party, the courts can pick a representative from a minority party.

I believe this approach will fulfill both the spirit and letter of the Elections Code. It will require a change to the Home Rule Charter. I will come up with a proposal next week, and will also tell you what elese happened during a brief but interesting meeting.

NorCo Seeking Parking Alternatives For Employees While New Parking Deck Is Under Construction

2026-06-04T00:00:00.000-04:00

At tonight's meeting, Northampton County Council will consider a $1,250 license agreement with Shiloh Baptist Church for 150 parking spaces during the 18 months it will take to raze and build a new parking deck at the courthouse campus. This parking deck is on Easton's south side, so a shuttle will also be needed to ferry employees and jurors from there to the courthouse.

The county has also requested Easton to expand the maximum time for metered spots around he courthouse from three to 10 hours.

When the parking deck was repaired in the past, the county rented a parking lot from nearby St Anthony's Church, which is only about two blocks away and would require no shuttle. It would make sense to consider entering into a lease agreement with St. Anthony. In addition, this shuttle should also stop at the Easton parking garages, which are never full on weekdays. The county should probably also consider a lease arrangement with Easton for some parking spots.

NorCo Elections Comm'n Votes 3-2 To Continue Pop-Up Voting Despite Elections Failures

2026-06-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

At Northampton County Council's May 21 meeting, Executive Tara Zrinski reported that the Spring Primary went "smoothly," In reality, there were a number of problems. Before the election, some voters received ballots for the wrong party while others actually received duplicate ballots. As a result of redistricting, some party committee members were incorrectly listed in the wrong district while others were completely omitted. And on election day, epollbooks showed that voters were eligible to vote in person even though they had previously sent in mail-in-ballots (MIBs). These kinds of errors undermine public confidence in the elections process and need to be addressed. Northampton County's Elections Comm'n, however, is going to continue doing exactly what is causing this problem by requiring elections workers to do too much.

The Elections office is already statutorily tasked with conducting what amounts to three elections every cycle. There's in-person voting at the polling place, mail-in ballots and ballot-by demand. Last year, the county also decided to add a satellite office on Bethlehem's south side for four weeks so that people could either apply for MIBs or vote ballot by demand. Two people had been diverted from their usual duties to make it easier for people to vote. "That was not well attended," admitted Voter Registrar Chris Commini.

In addition to the satellite office, the county decided this year to stage "pop up" elections at Lafayette College (31 votes) Northampton Community College (3 votes), Upper Mt Bethel Tp Municipal Building (handful) and Lower Saucon (handful. To run these four pop-up events, elections workers had to be diverted from their usual duties.

I understand and fully appreciate the importance of engaging as many voters as possible. But before conducting pop-ip elections or establishing satellite offices, county officials should be able to demonstrate that they con conduct the elections they are statutorily required to conduct with ease. Based on the past few elections, it's pretty clear that they need to focus on what they are required by law to do before branching out.

At yesterday's meeting of the elections commission, nine people (elections judges and Republican party members voiced their concerns. What they had to say was summed up best by Matt Flower, who said that the elections failures fell into three categories - redistricting failures, training failures, and election system failures.

Redistricting failures. "Election registrar Chris Commini testified 4 times that no elected office would be impacted by redistricting.After the petition circulation period had already begun, they issued an email acknowledging that elected offices had in fact been affected. The consequences were real.In Upper Nazareth Township and Forks Township, both municipalities affected by redistricting, candidates appeared on the ballot in precincts, where they did not reside and were omitted from precincts, where they were legally eligible to hold office. In other cases, elected officials had their positions extinguished with no individualized notice.

Training failures. "In Wind Gap, poll workers were observed allowing voters to choose either party's primary ballot regardless of voter registration status. This procedural defect allows members of opposing parties to influence each other's primary elections. In Bath, the judge of elections was observed instructing that individuals who already voted would not be permitted back into the voting area, and that it did not matter whether they possessed valid poll watcher credentials. A clear violation of election law.

Election system failures. "Electronic poll books were not updated before the polls opened to identify voters who had already cast mail-in ballots. As a result, voters who already voted by mail could still appear eligible to vote at the polls, and the primary safeguard against duplicate voting was not functioning for a substantial portion of the election day.

These are not isolated mistakes. They are part of a pattern. Election integrity is measured by execution. Accurate ballots, accurate poll books, properly trained election workers. These are the core functions of election administration. When election administration failures become recurring events as they have in Northampton County, public confidence begins to erode. ... The voters of Northampton County are not asking for perfection. We are asking for competence.

Based on these issues, GOP Comm'n members Scott Hough and Shawn Welch suggested that the county suspend any pop-up elections in November. But they were outvoted by Democratic Commission members Sharon Gavin-Levy, Richard Groff and Becky Bartlett. Groff said the county could simply hire more people to help run elections, but the reality is that it takes several cycles for a temp or even a full-time worker to understand the system.

I understand why the Democrats voted as they did. But I believe the county should focus on doing what the law mandates before getting into things that would be nice to see. In November, when turnout is going to be much higher, these mistakes are going to grow.

Our Mental Health Crisis

2026-06-02T00:00:00.000-04:00

When Governor Ed Rendell decided it was a good idea to shutter most of our state hospitals in 2010, he unwittingly unleashed a Mongol horde of seriously ill people into the Lehigh Valley and rest of the state. State funding was set aside to house some, but not enough, of them. As a result, homeless encampments have exploded for some. Others have found homes in our jails. Still more have ended up at Gracedale. In the meantime, Northampton County has just 13 beds at Wernersville State Hospital for the sickest of the sick. So what is county government doing to deal with those who suffer from mental illness? Cathy Kromer, Deputy Administrator of NorCo Mental Health Division, told County Council last month that her department is doing what it can, even though it may seem like little more than a finger in the dike to stop a flood of seriously mentally ill people from cascading into our community.

Kromer started by noting a distinction between those with general mental health concerns (we're all a little nuts) and those with serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. She indicated that approximately one in five people have a diagnosable mental illness, but funding limitations requires Northampton County Mental Health to focus on those with serious mental illness and those requiring intensive support.

She explained that most health services are funded through Medical Assistance (Medicaid). County mental health funding primarily supports the uninsured, underinsured, intensive services, residential treatment programs, psychosocial rehabilitation programs, drop-in centers and advocacy organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness. (NAMI)

She highlighted the importance of Community Hospital Integration Project (CHIP) funding, clarifying that this is not the children's health insurance program. Rather, CHIP funding was established when Pennsylvania began closing state hospital beds. The state's commitment was that funding saved from institutional care would be redirected to counties to support individuals transitioning into community-based treatment settings.

Despite operating with an annual budget of approximately $13 million, Northampton County Mental Health serves thousands of residents annually and receives a constant flow of referrals.

In Fiscal Year 23-4, her department did an intake 0f 1,341 individuals, 80% of whom have serious mental illness. In Fiscal Year 24-25, the intake was 1,078 people. From July through December of 2025, her department did an intake for 985 people.

Council member Lori Vargo Heffner asked Kromer to provide a list of funding gaps that resulted from last year's state budget impasse and to provide an idea of what cuts are expected this year.

I'll say this, based on both my own experience as well as studies. I know a number of seriously mentally ill people. This includes a lady who decides to start shouting a cursing around 11 pm every night. While she might be a tad annoying, she's harmless. Mental illness only accounts for 3-5% of violent crime. Those who suffer from mental illness are far more likely to be victims of violent crime.

Having said that, it was a mistake to close most state hospitals.

Zrinski "Continuum of Care" Department Hints at Using Gracedale Campus For Assisted Living

2026-06-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

In a close, 5-4 vote at NorCo Council's May 7 meeting, Executive Tara Zrinski's request for a completely brand new county department was granted. Supporting her were Council President Ken Kraft, joined by members Kelly Keegan, Jeff Warren, Theresa Fadem and Jason Boulette. Opposed were Lori Vargo Heffner, Dave Holland Nadeem Qayyum and Tom Giovanni. Though a two-man Continuum of Care Department was created, which will costing $250,000 a year in salaries alone, a resolution approving the two positions was tabled.

Zrinski argued that a separate department is needed to manage am 1,300-person workforce. More importantly, and in an opaque hint at her long-range plan, Zrinski said a separate department is needed "to coordinate the full continuum - nursing care, supportive living, and a future campus-based development reflecting the needs of the continuum of care across these 364 acres upon which Gracedale occupies." This suggests, at least to me, that the county is considering using some of its vast Gracedale campus to provide housing for seniors across the entire continuum of care spectrum.

This is certainly a much better idea than giving an out-of-town developer a tax break for luxury apartments. It would provide affordable housing to some of the county's most vulnerable residents. The county already owns the land but would need to borrow to build more housing. Like the county has done in the past for both open space and even keeping Gracedale, a question like this could be put to the voters.

So even though this creates a new layer of bureaucracy, I support the establishment of this new department. What I dislike about the positions, however, is that they are what the county calls "exempt" positions. This means that they are political hires who come and go with the Executive.

For the first five months of this year, Zrinski has been unable to find a Director of Fiscal Affairs, a position sorely needed in a county with financial challenges. She has attributed this to a rather low salary, although she claims to have found one. I think the real challenge is that it's hard to attract a financial professional who is willing to tie his employment to the political winds.

This department, like Emergency Management, should be completely apolitical so that it attracts people who have the right expertise and who are willing to make it a career.

Pa PUC Vice Chair Kim Barrow States Proposed Data Centers Should Bring Their Own Energy Generation

2026-05-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

I recently attended a presentation concerning a proposal to build a data center campus in Lower Mount Bethel Tp. Every member of the public who spoke were opposed to the idea While we all rely on data centers to store our Amazon orders or our Facebook pictures, we'd rather not see them.

Now Northampton County has nothing to do with data centers. But Council member Jeff Warren would very much like to be State Rep. Jeff Warren. He can see which way the wind (hope it's renewable energy) is blowing. So he invited Kim Barrow, Vice Chair of the state Public Utility Commission (PUC) to make a presentation last week. She went on for 30 minutes before Council President Ken Kraft asked her to wrap it up. She went through a lengthy recent history of energy use in Pennsylvania. Her basic message is that any proposed data center should bring its own energy generation.

Barrow said that Pennsylvania’s electric system is undergoing a dramatic transformation focused on reliability concerns, rising demand forecasts, aging infrastructure, and the pressure being created by extremely large data center projects tied to artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

She began by explaining that Pennsylvania is part of the PJM Interconnection, a 14-state regional transmission organization responsible for coordinating electric supply and reliability throughout much of the eastern United States. Pennsylvania historically has been one of the strongest electricity-producing states in the region, exporting roughly 25% of the electricity it generates.

For many years, Pennsylvania enjoyed relatively flat or declining electricity demand while maintaining a highly diverse energy portfolio that included natural gas, nuclear, coal, hydropower, oil generation, and renewable energy. Because of this diversity and excess generating capacity, Barrow stated she long believed Pennsylvania had excellent “resource adequacy” and strong reliability.

However, she explained that several developments have converged to create what she described as a “perfect storm” of challenges.

Among the major issues discussed were increasingly severe weather events, aging infrastructure, power plant retirements, supply chain disruptions, workforce shortages, cybersecurity threats, and the electrification of transportation and other sectors. She noted that stronger storms are becoming increasingly costly for utilities and more difficult to recover from operationally.

A major turning point in her concerns came during Winter Storm Elliott in December 2022. Barrow described the storm as a near-catastrophic event for the eastern electric grid. During the storm, PJM reportedly lost approximately 47,000 megawatts of generating capacity due to failures across multiple energy sources, including coal, natural gas, and renewable systems.

Coal piles froze, gas compressors malfunctioned in extreme cold, and renewable output declined due to weather conditions. She emphasized that the failures were not isolated to one type of generation resource but occurred across nearly the entire fleet.

According to Barrow, the region came within less than 1,000 megawatts of potentially severe cascading outages. She called it “a miracle” that widespread long-term blackouts did not occur.

One of her strongest messages was the importance of maintaining a balanced energy portfolio. While supportive of renewable energy growth, Barrow stressed that reliability requires maintaining all available resources, including nuclear, natural gas, coal, hydropower, and renewables, particularly during periods of extreme weather stress.

The second major portion of her presentation focused on the rapid rise of hyperscale data centers. Barrow explained that traditional data centers historically consumed between 50 and 200 megawatts of electricity. However, the newest AI-driven facilities are now requesting 1,000 to 2,000 megawatts each — amounts comparable to the output of entire nuclear power plants.

She specifically referenced the restart of Three-Mile Island through agreements tied to Microsoft and discussed Amazon Web Services’ arrangements involving the Susquehanna nuclear facility.

Barrow expressed concern that these enormous new electricity demands are arriving much faster than new generation and transmission infrastructure can be constructed. She warned that if data center growth proceeds unchecked, the grid could face serious reliability risks during future extreme weather events.

She cited PJM capacity auctions as evidence of growing stress within the system. Capacity prices reportedly jumped from approximately $35 per megawatt-day to over $300 per megawatt-day within a short period, creating an estimated $13 billion impact on ratepayers across the PJM region.

Barrow stated that these increases are being driven largely by forecasts of future electricity demand, especially from data centers, and not solely by current consumption levels.

A central theme of her remarks involved protecting residential customers, small businesses, and traditional commercial users from subsidizing the infrastructure costs associated with massive new industrial electricity consumers. She repeatedly stated that hyperscale data centers should “bring their own generation” by financing or constructing additional power sources rather than relying entirely on existing grid capacity.

She explained that the PUC recently issued a “large load model tariff” intended to ensure that large new electric users pay the true costs associated with serving their facilities and do not shift expenses onto ordinary ratepayers.

Allentown City Council Pays Tribute to Recently Deceased Controller Jeff Glazier

2026-05-28T09:41:28.364-04:00

Blogger's Note: This site has been a safe haven for those of you who want to rip elected officials or wannabes of every stripe and persuasion. Don't get me wrong. I do it myself all the time. It's great sport. We have nicknames like Lamont McClueless, Pee Wee Tuerk, Crooksy Brooks, Bullhorn Zrinski, Me-Me Gerlach and, my personal favorite, "Fed Ed" Pawlowski. But many if not most of the local officials I know actually try very hard to make their communities better and serve the people who live there.

Glazier, you may recall, became Allentown City Controller because his predecessor resigned after being charged with a conspiracy to deprive the good people of Allentown of honest services. As a member of City Council, he was a reliable Fed Ed ally. But that's only a part of his story. In a well-written news release, City Council Public Affairs Officer Genesis Ortega presents a far different picture of Glazier than the one I drew.

I like her version better.

May 27, 2026 — Allentown City Council is mourning the passing of City Controller Jeff Glazier, whose decades of service helped shape the city he loved so deeply.

Jeff dedicated much of his life to public service in Allentown, serving on the School Board, City Council, and as City Controller — but to many who knew him, he was more than a public official. He was also a steady and familiar presence in the community.

He believed in public service, and he carried that belief without pretense. Jeff held firmly to the idea that government should be honest, careful, and accountable, even when the work was difficult or went unseen. That conviction shaped the way he served and the way he led throughout his career.

As City Controller, Jeff was responsible for overseeing the city’s finances and ensuring transparency and accountability in government operations. He approached that role with care and discipline, earning respect across city government for the seriousness with which he treated the public trust.

Those who worked in City Hall will also remember the small, everyday moments of his presence, including his dog, Artemis, who was a constant companion. She was often by his side in his office or walking through the building, familiar to many who worked there. Jeff also brought warmth and personality into the workplace through his love of music. Colleagues also knew his office for the sound system and endless music collection he kept there and was always eager to share.

Beyond his official duties, Jeff’s kindness showed itself in quieter ways. He spent years helping provide beds and furniture to children and families in need across Allentown. Much of that work was rooted in his family’s furniture business, and he never made a point of talking about it; he simply believed it mattered and did something about it.

Council President Santo Napoli said, “Jeff Glazier loved this city and served it with a level of integrity and humility that set a standard for all of us. He cared deeply about the people of Allentown, and his absence will be felt across this community in ways that are both public and deeply personal.”

“I worked alongside Jeff for over a decade, during that time he became both a trusted colleague and a friend,” Vice President Cynthia Mota shared. “He carried himself with kindness and thoughtfulness in every setting, and he never lost sight of the people he was serving. His passing is deeply personal to me and to many of us who knew him well. May his memory be a blessing.”

Councilwoman Candida Affa said, “There are some people whose presence becomes woven into the life of a city itself. Jeff Glazier was one of those people. His fingerprints are on decades of public service, but his true legacy is something deeper: trust earned, lives touched, and a community strengthened by his goodness.”

In honor of Jeff’s memory, and to allow members of Council and staff time to grieve, tonight’s scheduled Council meetings will be rescheduled.

All the members of Allentown City Council extend their deepest condolences to Jeff’s family, his friends, and all who are mourning him across the city.

Allentown is better because Jeff Glazier chose to serve.

SNAP Enrollment Down 7.5% in Pa, Down in Every State

2026-05-27T10:09:04.197-04:00

One result of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) is a reduction in the number of people receiving SNAP benefits, sometimes known as food stamps. According to Governing, there's been a 7.5% decrease in participation between July '25 and Jan '26.

This Act imposed work requirements because, at least in the eyes of the Trump administration, there was too much fraud. OBBBA expanded a work requirement to formerly exempt veterans, the homeless, people who’ve aged out of the foster care system, caregivers of children ages 14 or older, immigrants who are human trafficking victims and adults ages 55-64.

Has there been a concomitant 7.5% drop in unemployment claims? Not in Pa. Unemployment here has actually increased from 4.3% to 4.4%.

Why Did McClure Finish Third in Pa.07 Congressional Race?

2026-05-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

On his Facebook page, Lamont McClure wonders how he could have lost the Pa.07 Congressional race in the face of a poll right before the election showing that he had the highest net favorable by about 5%. His favorables are actually much lower than those of John Morganelli when he ran for Congress a few years ago, and he lost as well. The polling might be wrong, but I believe that there are three reasons why McClure fared so poorly. First, Brooks' portrayal of himself as an Everyman resonated. Second, though McClure likely had nothing to do with the negative campaigning by LeanLeft against Brooks and Croswell, it probably backfired. Third, McClure himself made unnecessary enemies during his eight years as NorCo Exec.

Results are still unofficial, but the combined four county result shows that McClure actually finished 3rd of 4 candidates. Brooks (28,078); Crosswell (14,528), McClure (13,724) and Obando-Derstine (12,136).

A Morning Call account claims McClure lost every district in NorCo, his home county. That is inaccurate. He certainly was blown out in Bethlehem and Easton, but did manage to pick up some voting districts in Bethlehem Tp (where he lives), E Bangor, Lower Saucon, Plainfield, Upper Mt Bethel, Upper Nazareth, Washington and Williams Tp. He lost Wilson Borough, where he was an ardent advocate for the Dixie tax break. His showing was certainly disappointing, but his message reached some voters. Perhaps he should have done better in his home county, but that is Brooks' home county as well.

Where he really got hammered was in Lehigh County. Ryan Crosswell, who just moved to the Lehigh Valley in January, beat McClure by 804 votes. McClure was even beaten by Obando-Derstine, and finished 4th in the county that matters most.

McClure and Crosswell are both attorneys. Their polished style ordinarily would help them, but voters were looking for someone with whom they could identify. Rightly or wrongly, and I believe wrongly, that found that person in Bob Brooks. He had the right message for this race, to say nothing of money and endorsements.

This campaign was marred by a slurry of negative attacks from a PAC calling itself "LeanLeft". They were aimed at Brooks and Crosswell and attempted to prop up McClure. This group is thought to have been a Republican front, although hard proof is yet to be found. While negative campaigning usually works, it appears to have backfired. I think many voters may have been turned off by the over-the-top attacks as well as the portrayal of McClure as the "progressive."

Finally, McClure has been his own worst enemy. In his eight years as county executive, he made many enemies he never needed to make. He actively worked against the re-election of Lori Vargo Heffner, who as NorCo Council President, voted with him 90% of the time. His frosty style with people who do not know him alienated many county employees, and yes, some of them vote. And I don't know what he was thinking, but it was amazingly stupid for him to call the boss of a county council member just weeks before his election in an attempt to pressure that person to vote for a tax break to facilitate the building of luxury apartments.

This was McClure's race to lose, and he did.

Memorial Day: Remember the Young Dead Soldiers

2026-05-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

We're a strange bunch. We look forward to Memorial Day as an extra day off from work, a time for picnics and the start of summer. Vice President Kamala Harris tweeted, "Enjoy the long weekend!" Before you bast away at her, she is far from alone. We say "Happy Memorial Day" to each other from the Jersey shore. Few of us take the time to think of, to say nothing of honoring, those who have offered their lives for a freedom we take for granted.

It's always been that way. Even during the Revolutionary War, which started with the Boston Massacre, there was little public regard for those who put themselves in harm's way and lost their lives.

“Good God, are the Americans all asleep and tamely giving up their Liberties?” asked Benedict Arnold, who ultimately sold out himself in bitterness as much as greed.

The very first American to give his life in the cause of liberty was Crispus Attucks. His father was an African-American slave. His mother was a Natick, who were called the "Praying Indians." Little is known about Crispus. Unfortunately, many have followed him. Their lives are summed up in the immortal words of Archibald MacLeish.

The young dead soldiers do not speak.

Nevertheless, they are heard in the still houses:
who has not heard them?

They have a silence that speaks for them at night
and when the clock counts.

They say: We were young. We have died.
Remember us.

They say: We have done what we could
but until it is finished it is not done.

They say: We have given our lives but until it is finished
no one can know what our lives gave.

They say: Our deaths are not ours: they are yours,
they will mean what you make them.

They say: Whether our lives and our deaths were for
peace and a new hope or for nothing we cannot say,
it is you who must say this.

We leave you our deaths. Give them their meaning.
We were young, they say. We have died; remember us.

First published Memorial Day, 2016

Blogger's Addition: I am also touched by the elegant prose that Franklin Delano Roosevelt offered to the families of soldiers who died fighting fascism and genocide during WWII. Each received a certificate that includes these stirring words: "He stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live, and grow, and increase its blessings. Freedom lives, and through it, he lives - in a way that humbles the undertakings of most men."

Blogger's Note: This was first published in 2025. A reader suggested last week that I create a post paying tribute to those who served and serve. I would, but Memorial Day is for those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Zrinski: NorCo Budget Shortchanges Retirees and Gracedale - State Budget Shortchanges Seniors

2026-05-22T00:03:01.201-04:00

I told you that NorCo Exec Tara Zrinski was a big hit at the recent retirees' luncheon. She talked about it during her report to County Council at last night's meeting. What's more, she spoke about how recent county budgets have shortchanged both retirees and Gracedale, She added that the state budget is having an increasingly adverse impact on seniors.

Here's the bad news for retirees: "Retirees are very concerned that a contribution was not budgeted, in part of 2025, falling behind by $4 million in all of 2026, neglecting a payment of $11.6 million. Each year, in October, we receive a recommendation from our actuaries called the actuarily determined contribution. Or ADC. Now, that doesn't mean we're $16 million at a deficit. If we make the ADC this year, we believe we'll be back on track. We are currently at a 90% funded rate. Thank you to the fine investment by PFM that they have made on behalf of our county and our retirees. But we know that the sum that we are going to have to contribute is several million dollars, and that was not in the 2026 budget. Thus, when we say the 2026 budget is working as it was designed, we are saying it was designed to not fund the pension in 2026. That trend cannot and will not continue."

The actuarily determined contribution for the pension fund in 2025 was $12.8 million, but the Lamont McClure administration only kicked in $8.2 million. In 2026, the actuarily determined contribution was $11.6 million, but McClure's budget opted to pay nothing.

The county also maintains a retiree healthcare fund to cover the medical expenses of retirees entitled to them. In 2025, the actuarily determined contribution for this fund was $2.6 million. McClure shortchanged it by a million. In 2026, the actuarily determined contribution for retiree healthcare was $2.2 million. McClure paid nothing.

Here's the bad news about Gracedale, which already received a $7 million county contribution this year to fill in last year's deficit: "[T]here will be some county contribution to Gradceale. That will most likely be several million dollars that was also not budgeted in the 2026 budget."

Say what? When former Exec Lamont McClure proposed the 2026 budget from Gracedale's chapel, he stated that Gracedale would need no county contribution. The Administrator, Michelle Morton, told County Council her budget was balanced. Both of these statements are apparently untrue.

Finally, there's bad news for seniors. Zrinski has previously said the Area Agency of Aging was getting shortchanged $400,000 this year, which has resulted in the closure of two senior centers. But last night, she warned of more cuts. "[T]he state has informed us that in our 2027 budget allocation, the area agency on aging should be, the allocation should be estimated at the 2018 2019 levels." She would like to continue offering the same services to seniors as they currently receive. "I would like to offer more services, or at least the ones that we're currently offering to seniors at the level that our seniors need to maintain their health, their quality of life, and well being."

Zrinski went on to say that a 1991 County Council resolution prevents the county from paying more for for human services beyond the match it receives from the state, and she suggested that be repealed.

There's no need if it is only a resolution. A County Council binds neither the Executive nor future Councils. That would require an ordinance.

I will have lots more about County Council and its committees next week.

Boulette Responds to Criticism of Human Relations Ordinance

2026-05-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

I recently told you that Northampton County is looking for applicants to the newly created Human Relations Commission. I consider that in and of itself a good sign. It's a sign of transparency. As an old fart who lives with other seniors as well as the disabled, I'd apply except that it would compromise my independence as a bottom-feeding blogger. This detailed and well-written ordinance was authored by Council member Jason Boulette. It's obvious he put a lot of work into it. My sole concern was whether we were creating another bureaucracy that would just eat up tax dollars while being otherwise meaningless. But during the public hearing before this ordinance was unanimously adopted, that concern was put to rest by Liz Bradberry of Lehigh County's Human Relations Commission. They've spent $136 over two years.

Some of you had other concerns. Boulette took the time to respond to concerns and criticisms in my story about this, and I want to share what he said:

Some replies to a few of the comments here.

"This is nothing but the latest scheme to undermine our judicial system."

This doesn't really qualify as a "latest scheme." The local commission is authorized under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act of 1955, which created the state's Human Relations Commission and specifically empowered lower level governments to create their own. Aside from being on the books for 71 years, this law has been repeatedly updated and affirmed by the state legislature and the governors on a bipartisan basis.

"Isn’t a courtroom with an impartial judge or jury the proper place to resolve such claims?"

The Human Relations Commission doesn't foreclose anyone's rights to an impartial judge or jury. If someone feels aggrieved by the actions or inactions of the Commission, the Court of Common Pleas is still available as a recourse.

"Instead, they are setting up a commission of seven people with an agenda do determine guilt or innocence."

It's not really about guilt or innocence. In the other counties that have implemented commissions in recent years, they've yet to actually level penalties against anyone -- each case has been able to be resolved through mediation. And I'm hopeful that's the outcome we'll get here in Northampton County.

"Since this will be a quasi-judicial bodyI’ll presume it will be banned by law from recording and being televised, so if you want watch this disaster, you’ll have to travel to the courthouse at watch it person. Another way to limit people from really knowing whats going on."

The meetings are required to conform to the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act. The ordinance authorizes virtual meetings, and the Commission will be encouraged to meet virtually (with open access to the general public) precisely because it's easier for people to attend. It is not, in fact, banned by law from being recorded or televised. On the contrary, it is required to maintain minutes of meetings and recordings of any hearing.

"I like Jason's approach to his office-thoughtful and considered. But this seems like a solution in search of a problem"

I appreciate the kind words. I don't expect the caseload for the Commission to be massive, but I do think this ordinance is needed. Further, the past two years have seen similar ordinances passed in Lehigh, Montgomery, and Delaware Counties. So I don't see any reason for Northampton not to join their ranks in prohibiting discrimination.

"Who will perform investigations for the Commission? Do they need volunteers for that function too?"

The members of the Commission can serve as investigators with limited (and discretionary) assistance from county personnel.

"You are absolutely right, this is just Jason trying to make a name for himself for his next office run."

I have a full time job I'm happy with and I'm not looking any further ahead than the office I was elected to.

Will You Vote for Brooks in the General?

2026-05-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

I told you yesterday that I have no intention of voting for Bob Brooks in the Congressional election this year. I will also decline to vote for incumbent Ryan Mackenzie. This happened two years ago. When I learned that Congress member Susan Wild was parking in handicapped spots, she lost my vote. I opted to vote for Lew Shupe instead. But I am far less partisan than some Democrats. I refuse to vote for a person just because he's a member of my tribe. Wha about more partisan Democrats who actually worked Congressional races and helped run campaigns?

Rich Wilkins is such a person. This is what he says on his Apocalypse Vibes blog:

"The guy is a racist, let’s face it, you can’t find a famous black guy he likes (hello Barack Obama and Colin Kaepernick). I want no part in electing this guy. If that costs us the House, maybe the Democratic Party should be better. I’ve said for a long time that I’m not a “vote blue no matter who” type. Well, that’s going to be put to the test here. I broke down and voted for Fetterman at the 11th hour in 2022. I’ve regretted it ever since."

UPDATED: Brooks Wins Pa. 07 Congressional Race

2026-05-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

Over the past few weeks, you could feel the momentum moving towards Bob Brooks in the four-way race for the Democratic nomination to the Pa. 07's Congressional District. While the dust is still settling as I write this, it's clear that he is going to be the Democratic nominee against incumbent Republican Ryan Mackenzie.

Brooks, who branded himself as an Everyman, easily defeated three other contenders. He had help. Lots of money. Lots of endorsements, including the Governor and the DCCC. Stories about his MAGA social posts and his refusal to pay a judgment obtained by his mother-in-law for the home in which he lives, did manage to make numerous mainstream news outlets. They weren't enough to overcome the momentum.

At the same time, former NorCo Exec Lamont McClure was unable to gather the funds he needed to be competitive. He lent his campaign $200,000, but that was far from enough. He could usually rely on lots of money from the trade unions, but some of that money went to Brooks, who is President of the Pa. Firefighters' Association. His decision to force Administrator Charles Dertinger to resign over a botched election, hurt him. Dertinger could usually be counted on to raise money for McClure, but I doubt there there was much desire to help in this race. McClure burned a lot of bridges as Executive and was extremely unpopular with county employees. That alone probably cost him about 5,000 votes, to say nothing of 1,600 retirees. Just recently, he called a County Council member's boss in an attempt to encourage her to vote for a tax break to a developer who wanted to build luxury apartments. Though he adamantly denies pressuring this Council member through her boss, he exhibited very poor judgment.

McClure actually came in 4th in Lehigh and Monroe County

Had this race gone on a bit longer (thankfully it did not), I believe Crosseell would have won. He had a terrific ground game and came across as both knowledgeable and sincere to voters suspicious of a former Republican who moved here to run.

Carol Obando-Derstine, the sole woman in the race, should have garnered 17% of the vote simply because she's a woman, and she did. There are some Democrats who are very much into identity politics. According to WFMZ-TV69, she finished with 17% of the vote. In Lehigh County, thanks mostly to Victor Martinez and his Spanish-speaking radio station, she finished with 21.85% of the vote. She even finished second in Monroe County, though the number of voters there was small.

Brooks will go on to face Ryan Mackenzie in November. While I certainly have no intention of voting for Mackenzie, I will NOT be voting for Brooks.

In another closely watched primary for State Rep in Allentown's 22d Legislative District, Ce-Ce Gerlach easily defeated Ana Tiburcio. All the King's horses and all the King's men, from Mike Schlossberg to Peter Schweyer, were unable to overcome Gerlach's campaign hustle.

Northampton County, as usual, had problems. This time, some voters who had received mail-in ballots were incorrectly listed as eligible to vote in e-pollbooks. Perhaps NorCo needs to focus less on pop-up elections and satellite offices and more on ensuring that it can actually do what it is statutorily required to do.

UPDATED 11:00 AM: Incumbent Ryan Mackenzie had this reaction to Brooks' nomination to Pa. 07:

Allentown, PA — The Mackenzie for Congress campaign issued the following statement in response to Democrats nominating Bob Brooks in PA-07.

“Tonight, after spending millions of dollars in dark money on his behalf, the Democratic establishment got their hand-picked candidate: con-man and fraudster Bob Brooks. These groups steamrolled local Democrats and hijacked the democratic process in order to nominate a corrupt political insider, a wealthy lobbyist with a vast stock portfolio, and someone who has a record of stealing from his own family. The establishment Democrat machine has done this for one reason: they know that Bob Brooks will follow orders from his political bosses, just like he did as a union boss. The people of the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos will reject this dumpster fire of a candidate," said Mackenzie for Congress spokesman Arnaud Armstrong.

“As a result of Brooks’ history of scams and schemes that we heard about throughout the primary, the Mackenzie for Congress campaign is also announcing the launch of the Bob Brooks Hotline. Residents of the community who have been ripped off or targeted by conman and fraudster Bob Brooks - or have other information about his checkered past - can report their experiences by calling (484) 272-4215.”

Check the Facts:
Bob Brooks takes orders from Shapiro on union endorsements
Registered lobbyist
“Working-class” millionaire and stock trader
Democrat machine runs interference for Brooks
National Democrats steamroll local activists
Scamming his in-laws

NorCo Seeks Applicants for Newly Formed Human Relations Comm'n

2026-05-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

In March, Northampton County Council unanimously adopted a Human Relations Ordinance intended to resolve claims of discrimination in a timely manner pursuant to the county's police powers. The 34-page document is the handiwork of Council member Jason Boulette.

The purpose of the ordinance is to "declare [the county's intent] to promote the rights and opportunities of all persons to participate in the social, cultural, recreational, and economic life of the County and to assure equal opportunity for all persons concerning employment, housing, education, health care, and use of public accommodations without regard to actual or perceived race, ethnicity, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, physical marital status, familial status, GED rather than high school diploma, or mental disability, relationship or association with a disabled person, source of income, age, height, weight, veteran status, use of guide or support animals and/or mechanical aids, or domestic or sexual violence victim status."

The Commission envisaged by this ordinance consists of seven members appointed by the Executive, which County Council can confirm or reject. Members will reflect the diversity of protected classes. If the commission finds that a complaint of discrimination is substantiated, it can fine the offender up to $600.

Yesterday, Northampton County Deputy Administrator Jessica Berger issued a call for volunteers who are NorCo residents "with an interest in public service, community engagement, civil rights, human relations, education, advocacy, mediation, or related fields are encouraged to apply for consideration."

If you'd like to be a "Commissioner," send your resume and home address to Berger at JBerger@norcopa.gov. Your application is due May 27.

UPDATED: Any Problems at Polling Places? Last Minute Pitches?

2026-05-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

Voting begins at 7 am. How was your experience? Long waiting lines? Turnout? My guess is that this should be an uneventful race for elections workers. Unlike municipal races, there are far fewer elections. I intend to visit a few polling places by bike. If you see me, please don't run me over.

Feel free to make last-minute pitches.

UPDATED 4:15 PM: According to Matt Flower, who is electioneering and not working for the elections office, some voters who received mail-in ballots (MIBs) are being shown as eligible to vote in the e-pollbooks. Around noon, the elections office sent a text (I have a copy) to elections workers advising that the e-pollbooks (the electronic book used to check in voters) are being updated and delivered to precincts. In the meantime, elections workers are advised to cross-reference the e-pollbook with a list of voters who applied for MIBs. If the voter is listed as having applied for a MIB, but the e-pollbook shows that he is eligible to vote, the voter must be issued a provisional ballot.

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

2026-05-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

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.

Zrinski a Hit a NorCo Retiree Luncheon

2026-05-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

Tara Zrinski attended her first retiree as NorCo Exec this week. From what I'm told, they really liked what she had to say. She believes it is important to keep the pensions funded in accordance with recommendations of the actuary. She also thinks it's ridiculous to snub retirees out of a COLA at a time when inflation is out of control.

You can see her above with former NorCo Execs Gerald E "Jerry" Seyfried and Glenn Reibman. Former Exec Lamont McClure was not invited because he's running for Congress

Zrinski's upbeat personality has probably been her best asset so far. I have heard more than one county employee say that she's been a breath of fresh air. I've never heard an Executive say until last week that she thinks the jail has a problem keeping corrections officers because the pay is too low.

Next week, I'll discuss her "continuum of care" approach at Gracedale. On the surface, it sounds foolish, especially because the two positions she wants are "exempt" and come and go with the Executive. But she told retirees that she has other plans at Gracedale as well. I need to do some research and will let you know about that on Monday.

Who Do You Favor for the Democratic Nomination in Pa. 07?

2026-05-14T00:00:00.000-04:00

Of the persons running for the Democratic nomination in the Pa. 07 Congressional race, which candidate do you like best and who do you think will win? I've spent the past several months taking shots at pretty much everyone. I've slammed Brooks the most, arguing that his unpaid judgment to family, his MAGA social posts and his willful refusal to list his debt in his Congressional disclosure, makes him simply too shady. I've labeled Ryan Crosswell a recent Republican who only moved here to run. Lamont McClure, the most experienced of the bunch, has also burned a lot of bridges during his 8 years as County Exec, and most recently by calling a Council member's boss in an obvious attempt to pressure her into voting to hand out a tax break for luxury apartments. Finally, Carol Obando-Derstine, the hand-picked choice of former Congressional member Susan Wild, is running on identity politics.

More objective rundowns of these candidates are in Armchair Lehigh Valley (Obando-Derstine, McClure, Crosswell and Brooks).McClure and Crosswell are both quite knowledgeable about specific issues. Brooks and Obando-Derstine are borderline. Despite his recent defection from the GOP, Crosswell has struck me as the sincerest of the candidates. I believe he tries hardest to be honest. Though I don't know him, Brooks strikes me as the most likable. McClure is the most experienced and importantly understands national issues as they impact the Lehigh Valley. Obando-Derstine may be a little uninformed but is intelligent and would bring the perspective of both a woman and a Latina.

I voted last week and my vote was for McClure. But had I waited, as perhaps I should have, I would probably have voted for Crosswell. What McClure did in calling Hellertown's Borough Manager about a TIF in an attempt to pressure a new Council member really soured me. In my view, all candidates can beat Mackenzie now, but the situation will be different in November. I believe Crosswell, as a former Republican and a combat veteran, is a Democrat who would get Republican votes.

Now it's your turn. Who are you voting for and why?

LVNews Features McClure Call Concerning Dixie TIF

2026-05-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

I told you last week that NorCo Exec Tara Zrinski supported a tax break for 409 luxury apartments at Wilson Borough's vacant Dixie Cup factory. Despite her support, the tax break failed. One of the No votes came from Council member Theresa Fadem, who stated from the dais that part of the reason for her No vote was because she felt pressured by a telephone call that former NorCo Exec Lamont McClure made to Fadem's boss. He was very reluctant to speak about it with me but was a little more forthcoming in a story published by Lehigh Valley News yesterday. Before I get into that, I want to tell you how Zrinski reacted.

During the meeting, and after the TIF had failed, Zrinski was passing out papers to Council members concerning two new positions she was seeking (and later got) at Gracedale. When she approached Fadem, she reported apologized to Fadem. According to another Council member, who was in earshot, Zrinski said she was sorry about what had happened to Fadem and was unaware that McClure had called her boss. Zrinski obviously recognizes that, whatever the intention, the telephone call was highly inappropriate and was designed to pressure Fadem.

Now let's look at what McClure said to Lehigh Valley News.

He claims he decided to call Hellertown, which has nothing to do with any TIF and is miles away from Wilson Borough because Borough Manager Cathy Hartranft would "understand the municipal perspective."

I could see his nose grow an inch or two when he offered this lame excuse. Whether Hartranft would or would not understand has no bearing at all on what Wilson Borough, located 10 miles away, was seeking. It is clear to me that McClure called Hartranft in an attempt to pressure Fadem.

McClure denies knowing that Fadem is employed by Hellertown. That's nonsense as well. McClure knew the background of every candidate who ran for county council last year. You can add another inch to that nose.

Then McClure went on to say that Fadem is a "very close ally" of Council member Lori Vargo Heffner, whom he despises because she only went along with about 90% of what he wanted when he was Exec.

Wait a second. McClure out of one side of his mouth claims that Fadem is a "very close ally" of Vargo Heffner, but out of the other side of his mouth has no idea where she works.

Add another inch to his increasingly prominent proboscis.

Finally, he claims that Vargo Heffner has endorsed Ryan Crosswell, one of his rivals in the Pa. 07 Congressional race.

Add another inch.

Vargo Heffner has endorsed no one. She is President of the Pennsylvania Federation of Democratic Women, which makes no endorsements in contested Democratic primaries. She told me that she thinks it would be improper for her to endorse anyone, not even the sole woman in that race, Carol Obando-Derstine.

It is very clear to me that McClure's call to Hellertown's Borough Manager was designed to pressure Fadem, and this is consistent with his past behavior.

I also want to draw attention to the last sentence of the Lehigh Valley News story, which notes in passing that all three taxing bodies must approve a TIF before it can move forward. That is untue. Two of the taxing bodies can still moving ahead, which is exactly what happened with the Hamilton Crossings project in 2014. The County said No, but the township and school district moved forward without county participation.

NorCo Elections FAQ Regarding May 19 Primary

2026-05-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

[Northampton County, PA] – The Northampton County Elections Office is providing a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the Primary Election on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.

Q: What will be on the ballot?

A: The Elections Office recommends all voters review the ballot before voting. You can view the Primary Election sample ballots for the May 19 election here: www.NorthamptonVotes.com

Q: Who can vote in the Primary Election?

A: Registered Democrat and registered Republican voters in Northampton County can participate in the Primary Election.

Q: How can I check to see if I’m registered to vote?

A: You can check your registration status at www.vote.pa.gov.

Q: Where do I vote in person?

A: To check your polling location, use our "Find Your Polling Place" tool at NorthamptonVotes.com. If you arrive at an incorrect polling location, each precinct will have QR Codes available to help you find the correct polling place.

Q: Can I vote by paper ballot?

A: Voting by paper ballot is already available in Northampton County. If you choose to vote by a paper ballot, you may:

Utilize Ballot-on-Demand in the Election Office at the Government Center (669 Washington Street Easton, PA 18042). Ballot-on-Demand will be available in the Elections Office:
The LAST day for Ballot-on-Demand will be Tuesday, May 12 (8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
Request a paper mail-in ballot.
You can return mail-in ballots by mail directly to the Northampton County Election’s Office at the Government Center, or at one of the seven secure ballot drop boxes located around the County. The last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot is Tuesday, May 12, at 5:00 p.m.

Q: Can I vote by mail?

A: Yes. Act 77, which was passed in 2019, allows for no-excuse mail-in voting. Applications for mail-in or civilian absentee ballots are available in the Elections Office or at Mail-in and Absentee Ballot (pa.gov). The last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot is Tuesday, May 12 at 5:00 p.m.

Q: Why did I get an email saying my application for a mail-in ballot has been declined?

A: There are various reasons this may have happened (i.e., duplicate application, lack of verifiable ID, etc.). If you are concerned about any of these issues or have any questions, please contact the Elections Office at 610-829-6260 or election@norcopa.gov, for someone to assist you.

Q: When will mail-in ballots be sent?

A: The Elections Office began sending mail-in ballots during the last week of April. You can check the status of your ballot online at Online/Absentee Ballot Tracking (pa.gov). You should review your mail-in ballot to make sure that it is for the proper precinct and party.

Q: I’m worried about getting my mail-in ballot back to the Elections Office on time.

A: In order for your ballot to be counted, all ballots must be returned to the Elections Office by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. We recommend voters return their ballot as soon as possible.

Mail-in ballots can be returned:
By mail, no postage stamp is required. If you plan to mail your ballot, we suggest putting it in the mail early. If there is only one week prior to the election, we recommend you return your completed ballot to a drop box or the Election’s Office to make sure it is received in time to be counted.
Directly to the Northampton County Election’s Office at the Government Center: 669 Washington Street, Easton, PA 18042.
At one of the seven secure ballot drop boxes located around the County (see next question). The County’s secure drop boxes were installed on April 28.

Q: Where are secure ballot drop-off boxes located in Northampton County?

A: Accessing any of the below drop-off boxes does not require going through security at any location.

• Washington Township Municipal Building (Interior Hallway):

1021 Washington Blvd., Bangor, PA 18013

Hours: Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.; Friday 7:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.

Election Day: 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.

• East Allen Township Municipal Building (Main Lobby):

5344 Nor Bath Blvd., Northampton, PA 18067

Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m.

Election Day: 8:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m.

• NCC Fowler Family Southside Center (Main Lobby):

511 E. 3rd St., Bethlehem, PA 18015

Hours: Monday-Thursday 7:00 a.m.- 9:00 p.m., Friday 7:00 a.m.- 8:30 p.m., Saturday 7:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Election Day: 7:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m.

• Northampton County Courthouse (Rotunda):

669 Washington St., Easton, PA 18042

Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.- 6:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Election Day: 8:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m.

• Northampton County Human Services Building (Main Entrance Vestibule):

2801 Emrick Blvd., Bethlehem, PA 18020

Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am - 7:00 p.m., Saturday 8:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.

Election Day: 8:30 a.m.- 7:00 p.m.

• Northampton County 911 Center (Main Entrance Vestibule):

100 Gracedale Ave., Nazareth, PA 18064

Hours: 24 Hours/7 Days a week

Election Day: Until 8:00 p.m.

• Bethlehem City Hall (Main Lobby):

10 E. Church St., Bethlehem, PA 18018

Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Election Day: 7:00 a.m .- 8:00 p.m.

Q: How can I ensure the ballot drop-off boxes are “secure”?

A: Ballot drop-off boxes provide a safe and convenient way for you to return your mail-in ballots. Each drop-off box is a secure, locked structure that is permanently anchored in place. Northampton County drop-off boxes have been evaluated to specifically ensure they are indoors, ADA compliant, either chained or anchored in place, and under 24-hour camera/surveillance, and allow County Sheriff’s Deputies to collect the contents of the box on a daily basis. All Northampton County drop-off boxes are operated only by election officials and County Sheriff’s Deputies.

Q: What can I do to ensure my mail-in ballot is accepted?

A: The Elections Office reminds you to carefully follow the instructions included with your ballot. Remember to sign and date the outside of the return envelope. “Naked” ballots—those not enclosed in the inner secrecy envelope—will not be counted.

Mail-in ballots will be accepted if:
The ballot is enclosed in the yellow secrecy envelope and sealed.
There are NO identifying marks or symbols on the secrecy envelope.
The return envelope is signed and dated on the back in the appropriate YELLOW boxes.
The ballot is returned to a Drop Box (review the open hours above) or the Elections Office NO LATER THAN 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19. USPS postmarks DO NOT count if received after this deadline.

If your returned mail-in ballot has any defects which are discernable without opening the return envelope (for example you failed to sign or date the outside of the return envelope), the Elections Office may contact you and give you the opportunity to come into the Elections Office and “cure” (fix) the defect. If you come into the office for this purpose, you will be asked for your ID (does not have to be a photo ID).

Q: What kind of stamp should I use to mail my ballot back?

A: Northampton County pays for postage on the return envelopes. You do not need to add a stamp.

Q: How do I know if my application has been accepted or my ballot has been received?

A: Voters who sign up online at www.vote.pa.gov will receive emails about their application/ballot status. Voters can track the status of their ballot at Online/Absentee Ballot Tracking (pa.gov)

Q: Can someone else deliver my ballot to the Elections Office?

A: No. Pennsylvania state law states that voters must only drop off their own ballot. If you come into the office, you may be asked for your ID (does not have to be a photo ID).

If a person is physically unable to drop off their own ballot, someone else may drop off their ballot for them and will be asked to complete and sign a “Certification of Designated Agent” form. A copy of this form can be downloaded here Authorize Designated Agent Form (pa.gov).

Q: I requested a mail-in ballot, but now I want to vote in person at the polls.

A: If you requested a mail-in ballot but now wish to vote on a machine, you must bring your mail-in ballot and the return envelope with you to your polling location. The Judge of Elections will spoil your ballot and ask you to complete a “Declaration to Surrender Ballot” form before allowing you to vote on the ExpressVote XL machine. Only then will you be permitted to vote on the machine. If you do not bring your mail-in ballot and return envelope to the polls, you can only vote by provisional ballot. The Elections Board will verify that you did not vote by mail before the provisional ballot can be counted.

Q: What time are the polls open for the Municipal General Election on May 19?

A: Between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19. If you’re in line by 8:00 p.m., stay in line, you will be allowed to cast your vote.

Q: Have the ExpressVote XL machines been tested?

A: Our voting machines have undergone extensive logic and accuracy testing.

Q: Have any polling locations changed for this election?

A: Yes. Northampton County Election Division is implementing the redistricting plan recently approved by the Court of Common Pleas in preparation for the Primary Election. Some voters will have new polling locations and/or district names for this election. All voters are encouraged to check their polling place in advance and can do so by using the “Find Your Polling Place” tool at: www.NorthamptonVotes.com.

The below existing polling locations have been changed as follows:

Bethlehem 4 & 5– from St. John Windish Church to Bethlehem Visitor’s Center at Steel Stacks, 711 East 1^st Street, Bethlehem
Bethlehem 9 East– from Salvation Army to Liberty High School, 1115 Linden Street/ E. Fairview Street, Bethlehem
Bethlehem 14-3– from St. Ann School to BASD Education Center, 1516 Sycamore Street, Bethlehem
Bethlehem 15-2– from BASD Education Center to Lincoln Elementary, 1260 Gresham Street, Bethlehem
Easton 2– from First Presbyterian Church to Easton City Hall, 123 S. 3^rd Street, Easton
Freemansburg– from Freemansburg Municipal Bldg, 606 Monroe Street to Freemansburg Elementary, 501 Monroe Street, Easton

Q: Who should voters contact if they have problems or questions before or on Election Day?

A: The Northampton County Elections Office: 610-829-6260 or election@norcopa.gov.

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UPDATED: Thresa Fadem Displayed a Profile in Courage in Voting No to the Dixie TIF

2026-05-12T00:00:00.001-04:00

Last week, Theresa Fadem was one of the six NorCo Council members who voted against a tax break for the conversion of Wilson Borough's vacant Dixie factory into 409 luxury apartments. She's one of four newbies - all Democrats - elected in November. Before voting No, she shed some light on the incredible pressures that all elected officials endure when facing a controversial issue. In a democratic form of government, that should be expected. But there's a difference between lobbying or argument and coercion or intimidation. Fadem made very clear that she at least felt that she was being intimidated into voting for the tax break. Here's what she said.

I'm glad we're discussing this up here because this is a discussion of a very great scale, and it should take place here on the dais, in full view of the public. All right, our constituents deserve open, honest, dialogue, not private persuasion. Which leads me to feel compelled to address of recent action that I find deeply concerning. The former county executive contacted my current employer in what appears to be an attempt to influence my position on this matter. It's clearly a breach of professional boundaries. My responsibilities as an elected official are independent of my employment. And any attempt to leverage my workplace in an attempt to sway my vote is inappropriate and unacceptable. I was on the fence before, but I'll tell you right now, it's solid now.

Theresa Fadem is employed as Hellertown's zoning and code enforcement officer. Her boss is Borough Manager Cathy Hartranft. The former county executive is Lamont McClure, who was unsuccessful in his attempt to shepherd a tax break through County Council in November.

Based on what Fadem stated at the meeting, former Executive McClure (now a Congressional candidate) called Hellertown Borough Manager Cathy Hartranft in an attempt to have Hartranft pressure Fadem to vote for the tax break. It's also clear that Hartranft in turn did talk about it with Fadem. She may have intended only to share her opinion and insight as a borough manager that a tax break would be good for another struggling borough. But she forgot that she is Fadem's boss, and anything a boss would say to a subordinate employee would place that person under intense pressure. This is clearly what McClure intended.

If he was only interested in private persuasion, McClure could have called Fadem directly. Instead, he chose to put the squeeze on through Fadem's boss. This is clear intimidation. Another word for it is bullying.

I asked McClure if what Fadem said is true, adding "that would be highly inappropriate if true." McClure first stated that he had no response. He later added, "I deny that I asked anyone to leverage her employment to get her to vote for the project - which is what [Fadem] implied by saying she was 'pressured.'"

Then why did he call the Borough Manager at all? Why wouldn't he just call Fadem directly?

In addition to calling McClure, I called Borough Manager Hartranft. Her voice mail stated she returns every call, but she declined to return my call. She might claim this is a personnel matter, but I disagree. Any attempt to persuade her to vote for or against the TIF it is outside the scope of Fadem's employment with Hellertown. Whether knowing or unknowingly, she did exactly what McClure wanted. Fadem clearly felt threatened.

In fact, I have since learned that Hartranft even sent Fadem a text about the McClure conversation during the course of the meeting.

Finally, I spoke with Fadem. She understandably declined to add anything to what she said at the Council meeting. She's scared.

And she's right to be scared. In the past, I have seen other Council members like Lorei Vargo Heffner and Ron Heckman attacked personally when they refuse to go along with 100% of what McClure wanted as Exec And it has already started with Fadem with some anonymous comments.

The person this damages most is not Fadem, but current County Executive Tara Zrinski. She has worked hard at building bridges with Council, not just the Meadows Bridge. When a Council member is bullied over a vote, that just destroys everything. McClure is no longer county executive. Zrinski is rendered ineffective when he continues to use tactics that have failed in the past. He is now an assistant solicitor and has no business arguing for or against a policy. If anyone should be worried about job security, it should be him.

UPDATED 10:38 AM: After this post published, Hellertown Borough Manager Cathy Hartranft called me. Shje acknowledged that she was, in fact, called by McClure. She indicated that McClure called her to discuss the TIF and the developer's willingness to provide $2 million for affordable housing. She said that immediately after the call, she told Fadem about his call because she wanted to be transparent. She herself had no opinion concerning the TIF. She acknowledged that Fadem's employment was in no way threatened and there was no intent to intimidate or coerce her.

I believe Hartranft. But I also believe that Fadem, who is in a subordinate position to Hartranft, felt threatened. The call went exactly as McClure intended.

Zrinski Has Good News (Gracedale) and Bad News (Jail)

2026-05-11T00:00:00.001-04:00

At Thursday night's NorCo Council meeting, Executive Tara Zrinski provided yet another detailed report about what is happening in the county. Some readers dislike her presentations, but they're pretty much the same people who would attack her if she said nothing at all. "You've got five minutes," Council President Ken Kraft semi-joked before she started, but I appreciate the transparency. She had good things to say about Gracedale, but is very concerned about the plight of corrections officers at the jail.

Gracedale. - Zrinski reported that the county nursing home underwent its annual inspection and only three deficiencies were found. She told Council that the lead surveyor noted progress over the past year but cautioned that the "official" report is still pending. She indicated the home was preparing for National Nursing Home Week (May 10-16) with a food truck festival to which everyone would be welcome. Zrinski stated nurses will be treated to lunch this week.

Aside from one deficiency at the beginning of the year, state Department of Health officials have found no violations in six visits responding to complaints this year.*Unfortunately, some employees have offered starkly different views of the facility. They agree that the survey was good but are unhappy. They state that on Nurse Day, agencies came and gave their people gifts while regular employees got nothing. They cite three elopements since February, none of which were reported because the resident was found on the grounds. They also note that a hunting knife with spikes was found in a resident's room.

Jail. - Zrinski acknowledged that there are 62 vacant correction officer positions. She was at the jail last week and spoke with officers who are being routinely mandated to work 16-hour shifts. While that might be good for their paycheck, anyone who is forced to work a lot of overtime is bound to be a little less attentive, and that can be very dangerous at a jail.

Why so many vacancies? "I can't help but think that's because the starting pay is $42,160 a year, which is about $20 an hour," she said. "This department is not alone, though. Stagnant pay and inter departmental compression issues exist in multiple departments and should be an issue that we remedy in next year's budget."

Closed Senior Centers. - Two of the county's 11 senior centers have been closed as a result of a $400,000 state budget shortfall. "For the seniors impacted by our senior center consolidation, I would welcome you to redirect your anger towards, uh, to your state and federal legislators. It is the state funding that is cut, and it is HR1 that has cut the funding at the highest level. We are consolidating because we recognize that the senior centers provide a valuable part in our community and the lives of seniors within our community. We have nine. We had 11. So, we do with what we have, and if we can get more funding next year, we will try to reopen whatever we can."

EMS/911. - Michael Leonard has been appointed permanent Director.

Fiscal Affairs Director. - Zrinski had a candidate hooked, but he got away. She was forced to reopen interviews and hopes to have someone soon. (Her pick for this position would have to be confirmed by County Council. )

Meadows Road Bridge in Lower Saucon. - She told Council the bridge would be open on Friday, and it was. It had been closed since 2018.

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*) Unfortunately, some employees offer starkly different views of the facility. They agree that the survey was good but are still unhappy. They state that on Nurse Day, agencies came and gave their people gifts while regular employees got nothing. They cite three elopements since February, none of which were reported because the resident was found on the grounds. They also note that a hunting knife with spikes was found in a resident's room. They claim they have been instructed against posting to this blog.

Dixie Cup TIF Fails in NorCo for Second Time

2026-05-08T00:00:00.002-04:00

Last night Northampton County Council rejected a massive tax break, known as a TIF, to kickstart the conversion of Wilson Borough's vacant Dixie Cup factory into 405 luxury apartments. This proposal was defeated in November in a close, 5-4 vote. But in January, four new members joined County Council, and the thinking was that they might be more receptive to this incentive. They weren't. By a 6 to 3 vote, the measure failed. Voting against this tax break were Lori Vargao Heffner, Dave Holland, Theresa Fadem, Nadeem Qayyum, Jason Boulette and Tom Giovanni. Voting YES were Ken Kraft, Kelly Keegan and Jeff Warren. They had also voted for it in November.

I explained Tax Increment Financing (TIF) yesterday, but as a result of an error made last night by NorCo Exec Tara Zrinski, I feel compelled to do so again. She had stated, erroneously, that "the county continues to collect incrementally increasing taxes for the next 20 years." This is false. Instead, property taxes are frozen at their current level. Any increase in property taxes, resulting from new development is diverted to subsidize that development. Local public taxing bodies are denied the new revenue they would normally get from new development. Aside from Allentown's NIZ or an outright grant, a TIF is the most generous tax break a municipal government can provide.

Sensing which way the wind was blowing and knowing that the public has woken up to what is going on, an effort was made to delay the matter. Zrinski, in her comments, said that she expected the ordinance would be withdrawn or tabled. And sure enough, a motion to table was made by Jeff Warren and seconded by Kelly Keegan, supposedly at the request of the industrial development authority. The obvious reason is to delay and slip it back onto the agenda when everyone goes back to sleep.

The motion to table, which is undebatable, failed. Ken Kraft and Jason Boulette joined Keegan and Warren in seeking a delay. But Vargo Heffner, Holland, Fadem, Qayyum and Giovanni wanted a vote that night. Even after the motion to table failed, Kraft attempted one last time to push off the vote, but Fadem and Vargo-Heffner insisted on a vote.

During the courtesy of the floor, there were several speakers. I will summarize a speaker from each side.

Wilson Borough resident Armando Moritz-Chapelliquen urged a No vote for the following reasons:

Vote no, because the county, the borough, and the school district need the $26 million over the next 20 years.

Vote no because the developer has already been awarded over $1.3 million in state and county funds.

Vote no because the remediation of the site is not a blessing. It is a basic responsibility of any property owner, one that has been neglected by Wilson Park LTD, the previous owner, for over 40 years.

Vote no because Wilson Borough hired a consultant to evaluate the TIF, and that consultant's report has not yet been publicly disclosed.

Vote no because the borough is on the record saying they'll go ahead with the tip, whether you approve it or not.

Vote no, because it is an outrage to provide a tax benefit for luxury housing in a school district with the third fastest increase in the poverty rate in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Vote no because there will be no affordable housing units on site.

Vote no because the county should not be the business of building housing, or, if you prefer, vote no because the county should be in the business of building housing. But $2 million isn't enough to replace the units that would otherwise go into a redeveloped Dixie.

Vote no, because tax revenue should go towards supporting the most vulnerable among our neighbors.

Vote no because the developer, because a developer who can't make this project pencil out, maybe shouldn't have spent $11 million on a site that was assessed at less than $3 million.

Vote no because the Democratic Socialists of America oppose it.

Vote no, because the Northampton County GOP opposes it.

Vote no, because any Democrat who cares about affordability would never support giving $26 million to a luxury housing development.

Vote no, because economic development and community development are intrinsically connected.

And anyone who tells you otherwise doesn't know what they're talking about.

And finally, vote no because the development of the Dixie Cup site is an inevitability..

Countering Moritz-Chapelliquen, NorCo Exec Tara Zrinski argued that

First, the Dixie Cup project is a brown field development. That means it is more expensive because of the environmental remediation. And that damage happened decades ago. In this case, underground tanks, asbestos, radon, and contaminated soil were removed at the cost to the developer of $35 million. The TIF only offers a fraction of recovery for him.

Once again, I am compelled to correct yet another misstatement. According to the TIF ordinance itself, Exhibit I, the remediation cost is $8 million, not $35 million. Moreover, he would be getting $5.7 million back directly from the TIF. In addition, he has already been awarded $1 million in outright grants for remediation. Instead of listening to a developer, Zrinski should be reading the ordinance.

Zrinski also made an argument for being kind to the rich:

I don't want to gloss over the iniquities within our society. I think we all realize they are real, but that does not mean that any alliance at all to someone with wealth is a betrayal of the working-class families or the poor. This is a false narrative that pits the rich against the poor, driving a wedge between the two further. There is no diametric opposition that is mutually exclusive.

There are a few people in our community who are using the Dixie Cup Project for self-serving purposes, and twisting comments made in this very room. When it comes to housing, we have to say yes to affordable housing. But not to the exclusion of other projects that would not ever come to fruition but through government assistance.

During the meeting, Council members Theresa Fadem and Dave Holland both indicated that they had received "unsettling" pressure to vote for the TIF. I am looking into these allegations, which I consider serious.

I'll have more about this meeting and the committee hearings next week.

The Dixie Cup TIF and the "But For" Standard

2026-05-07T00:00:00.001-04:00

Tonight, Northampton County Council is poised to act on a massive tax break, known as a TIF, to kickstart the conversion of Wilson Borough's vacant Dixie Cup factory into 405 luxury apartments. Though this proposal was defeated in November in a close, 5-4 vote, a new County Council with 4 new members might see things differently. The latest scuttlebutt, however, is that developer Skyline Investments wants to pull its application and go it alone with Wilson Borough and Wilson Area School District.

Aside from Allentown's NIZ or an outright grant, a TIF is the most generous tax break a taxing body can give to a developer. As Good Jobs First explains it, Tax Increment Financing is a geographically targeted economic development tool. It captures the increase in property taxes, and sometimes other taxes, resulting from new development, and diverts that revenue to subsidize that development. That diversion means local public services do not get the new revenue they would normally get from new re/development.

In the case of the Dixie Cup site, a TIF will enable developer Skyline to use $26.5 million or more in anticipated real estate taxes increases to finance the cost of the project and pay it back over 20 years. During this time, participating taxing bodies will be denied the opportunity to collect any increase in real estate taxes to pay for its own operations.

This TIF, by the way, is in addition to outright grants for this venture. Skyline has already been awarded $1,000,000 from an RACP application in 2024 and this year. It has received $163,257 from a DCED Multimodal Transportation Funding Grant and a $175,000 Greenways, Trails and Recreational Program grant. It is seeking even more grant money from PennDOT, DCED Mixed Use Housing Development, another DCED Greenways grant, another DCED multimodal transportation grant, and Pa Historic tax credits. It also wants $28.5 million in federal tax equity credits.

According to the proposed ordinance Exhibit I, the TIF bond will reward Skyline $4 million as a "developer's fee," and his architect will collect $5 million. Another $3.235 million in soft costs is just listed as "fees" with no additional explanation. I have no idea where that money is going.

Nearly two years ago, I pointed out a number of red flags about the bona fides of Skyline, a private equity firm. Not only has this firm never developed anything, but it falsely claimed to have built the "Louix," a nonexistent project.

I have noted on multiple occasions, and as recently as three weeks or so ago, that 405 luxury apartments will actually exacerbate the workforce housing crisis.

But the main reason why a TIF should be denied is because the developer, by his own admission, has said he doesn't need the county's help. In February, he was specifically asked by Council member Jason Boulette whether he needed the county's help. "It really means a lot to us to have the county support and buy-in as well." answered Bartee. But when pressed he acknowledged that "[t]here are other ways to have the project move forward."

If he does not need the TIF, granting it would technically be illegal. Under the Tax Increment Financing Act, a TIF can only be granted when development of the project is economically or physically unfeasible "but for" the tax break. This is a prerequisite for TIF approval. When a developer stands up before a taxing body and asserts that no TIF is needed, as Bartee has done, it really should not be granted.