ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Seven Democrats are competing for four at-large spots in the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners race this primary, looking to continue the party's historic run controlling the legislative body.
Democrats Bob Elbich, Dave Harrington, Dan Hartzell and Zakiya Smalls swept the 2019 county commissioner race, delivering Democrats their first majority on the board in 30 years. Four years later, Elbich, Harrington and Smalls have opted not to seek re-election, leaving the primary — and control of the board — wide open.
- Seven candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Lehigh County commissioner
- Three of the four incumbents are not seeking re-election, leaving a wide-open race
- The four top vote getters will advance to the November election, where they'll compete with four Republicans
On May 16, Democratic voters will decide between Sheila Alvarado, an aide to Rep. Peter Schweyer; Michael Blichar Jr., an administrator at Northampton Community College; Hartzell, a retired Morning Call journalist; Jon Irons, a data manager for the non-profit Communities in Schools of Eastern Pennsylvania; Victor Martinez, owner and DJ of La Mega 101.7 FM; April Riddick, a longtime community organizer and volunteer in Allentown; and real estate broker Joe Setton.
Controlling warehouse development and limiting the tractor-trailer traffic they create were items that should be a top priority for the board of commissioners, nearly every candidate agreed. However, county commissioners have no direct say what projects get approved or denied. That authority rests with individual townships, boroughs and cities. Instead, candidates said they would look to use their bully pulpit to impress upon municipalities that these developments are unwelcome with voters.
Hartzell, who was first elected in 2015, is the only candidate in the race with a record in county government. Between his time covering the county as a reporter and his two terms in office, no other candidate can match his experience, he said. During his tenure as a commissioner, the county distributed millions of dollars in pandemic-related federal aid, assisting small businesses in weathering the shutdown and helping residents pay rent while they were out of work. The effort provided a lifeline to county residents when they needed it most, he said.
"We survived the pandemic. By and large, we did that gargantuan job well," Hartzell said.
Moving forward, Hartzell said his next big priority will be overseeing the $67 million expansion at Cedarbrook. After years of planning, the county broke ground on a 240-bed addition in the fall of 2021. Hartzell anticipated the project will be completed in late 2024. The work, he said, will ensure that residents who outlive their money will have a place to spend their final years.
Nearly every candidate agreed that controlling warehouse development and limiting the tractor-trailer traffic they create should be a top priority for the board of commissioners.
Setton is the only other candidate with experience in local government. He was appointed to complete a two-year term on the South Whitehall Township Board of Supervisors after Mark Pinsley resigned to become Lehigh County controller. He said that if elected, he would primarily use his position to serve as an advocate for issues like education, development and housing. Commissioners have little to no control over these issues, he acknowledged, but their position allows them to make connections that individual communities may struggle with.
Setton added that he would look to create a gun buyback program. Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck has operated a similar program in recent weeks, trading grocery store gift cards for hundreds of firearms. Lehigh County does not have a buyback program of its own, but Setton said it would contribute to safer communities.
"I believe less guns on the streets is better. If that program works, I would incentivize that as long as it takes so that there's less and less guns out on the streets," he said.
Blichar may be better known to voters for his past campaigns for the former 187th state House district, which were centered in northwestern Lehigh County. He's since moved to Allentown and said his time living in the different communities in the region would make him a stronger at-large commissioner. The 28-year-old said it's also important to have the next generation take a leadership position in Lehigh County.
He said that many of the federal aid programs rolled out during the pandemic have either come to an end or will soon be closing. However, he said the county should look to continue many of those programs, including those providing early crisis intervention for mental health problems and rental assistance for people in danger of losing their housing. Blichar said he would work with state and federal officials to find funding and would consider having the county take on some expenses if it meant keeping these services going.
"These programs are massively important to deal with the financial and economic crises that people face," Blichar said.
Irons also focused on improving the county's human services, saying the county could supplement its programs by partnering with nonprofit organizations in the region. Too often, the county only gets involved after a major crisis has occurred, he said. By making an effort to help earlier, the county could reduce the costs, both financially for tax payers and emotionally for residents.
He pointed to evictions as an example. The county offers servicesintended to help people who have lost their homes, but many families and individuals are already in a desperate situation by that point. By partnering with groups such as North Penn Legal Services, which provides services that help people remain in their homes, the county could render aid sooner, before they're out on the street. Whatever partnerships the county creates, Irons said commissioners should provide oversight and make sure the county is evaluating what's working and what needs improvement.
"We should do everything we can to keep people in their homes. I see a lot of transience, especially in the school systems," Irons said.
The top four vote getters will advance to the November election. The winners will face Republicans Gary Fedorcha, Paul Moat, Jacqueline Rivera and Rita Sisselberger, who are running uncontested in the GOP primary.
While Martinez has never run for public office before, he may one of the best known candidates in the race as the morning DJ and owner of 101.7 FM La Mega. Among his top priorities is bringing better representation to the board. 2020 Census data show Latinos makeup 28% of the county's population, but few have found success at the polls. People in general fail to understand what county government does, but the problem is especially bad in the Latino community, he said.
"My problem is the county is not doing anything to reach out to invite the community in," Martinez said.
It's an issue he said he's uniquely qualified to help solve. While his morning program is primarily a music show, he's also introduced politics other information for listeners. He's brought candidates of both major parties on air for years to talk about their goals and efforts. Elected office, he said, would give him a bigger platform to connect all members of the community to what the county has to offer.
Alvarado, a native of Puerto Rico who grew up in Allentown, also said she would bring diversity to the board. She pointed to her experience interacting with community groups and local government in her adult life as important experience for the role. Before joining Schweyer's staff, she worked as a neighborhood manager with the nonprofit Community Action Development Corporation Allentown. Through both jobs, she's connected local residents with resources at the city, county and state levels, she said. As someone who fields calls from constituents and attends community meetings, she argued that she understands the struggles many families go through and how county government can help.
"I know the needs. We get the phone calls constantly. We know the areas that are in need of more funding," she said.
Alvarado, like many of the candidates, said she would like to do more to assist residents in finding affordable housing at a time when interests rates are climbing and rents are soaring. She proposed creating a program for first-time homebuyers that will help county residents pay their closing costs.
Riddick is similarly running on her connections to the community. She's been organizing and volunteering for local events and grassroot organizations for over three decades, including Dress 4 Success, which connected low-income women with professional wardrobes for job interviews; Rising to Excellence, which recognized Allentown students who overcame obstacles to continue their education; and the Allentown Athletic Association, where she serves as a board member.
While she hasn't run for public office before, politics isn't outside her wheelhouse. She's one of the Democratic State Committee members for Lehigh County and was a founding member of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party's Latino Caucus. She said she wants to serve on the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners so she can advocate for all county residents. If elected, she would bring her network skills to Lehigh County and search for ways to improve education, housing and recidivism in the region, she said.
"How can we be creative to help the county more? We have to look at each area differently and think outside-the-box of how we can move smoothly," Riddick said.
The top four vote getters will advance to the November election. The winners will face Republicans Gary Fedorcha, Paul Moat, Jacqueline Rivera and Rita Sisselberger, who are running uncontested in the GOP primary.
