My Vision for Lehigh County

Putting People First.

Lehigh County needs human and social services that keep people healthy, keep families together, help children grow, and most of all, services that are effective for working people.

As County Commissioner, I will build…

  • I believe that every human should have guaranteed access to their basic needs and more. Shelter, food, healthcare, clothing, internet access, and a living wage should be a given for every individual, family, and child.

  • Our current crisis of mass incarceration is a result of policies that have torn families apart and keep no one safer. County Commissioners are uniquely positioned to lead the end of mass incarceration with proactive oversight of the Lehigh County Jail (LCJ).

    As Commissioner, I will work to end the use of cash bail in LCJ. Cash bail criminalizes poverty, resulting in poor folks with minor offenses or allegations being locked up simply for not having disposable income.

    I will also work to end the use of solitary confinement in Lehigh County jail. This practice is not only expensive, but also cruel; it is considered torture by the United Nations. Our county should not be in the business of utilizing practices that are considered forms of torture.

    Ending solitary and cash bail are two, popular, achievable, and impactful changes that can help build toward a county that is safer, more responsible, and more compassionate.

  • My work in education has brought me close to students and families in crisis and in need of help. I have routinely made reports to Children and Youth, consulted Lehigh County crisis, referred to various county and non-profit resources, and appeared in court for truancy cases as part of a wraparound support team. I’ve worked with immigrant families and refugees from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Syria, Palestine, and Afghanistan. In this work I’ve become very familiar with the network of public offices and non-profit organizations that we call “social services.” I know how much is already available, but also how much more we could be doing.

    As Commissioner, I will work with important departments like Children and Youth, Crisis Intervention, the Public Defender, and Community and Economic Development to expand their role and resources within the county. If we create ambitious, data-driven strategic plans for these departments, we can grow and evaluate change, increase the availability of resources, and pursue proactive approaches that can bring us closer to economic dignity for all Lehigh County residents.

    As Commissioner, I will also work to make social services more readily available and navigable for families who are already struggling. Residents should know what support exists, and it should be easy to access public services that the County is providing.

Photograph of a group of teenagers at a football camp in Allentown, PA. The teens are standing in a circle around the main subject of the photo, who is mid-jump, about two feet off the ground. The camp leader documents the height of his jump.

Invest in us.

Lehigh County has a responsibility to keep residents safe and healthy by addressing the root causes of poverty and pain. This means working to provide affordable and high quality housing, food, healthcare, clothing, internet access, and a living wage.

As County Commissioner, I will deliver…

  • I believe in housing as a human right. Stable, well-maintained, affordable housing for each and every one of our neighbors is the foundation upon which we build safe, healthy, and thriving communities. In fact, evidence suggests that crime, poverty, homelessness, addiction, and mental illness are all primarily linked to a lack of housing. Housing First policies take this research seriously, and address causes rather than consequences.

    As commissioner, I will help develop the county’s rental assistance program and ensure that federal funds meant to combat housing insecurity are equitably and proactively distributed. I will propose a program to ensure that tenants have a right to counsel in court and reduce unnecessary or illegal evictions.

  • Lehigh County should be in the business of preventing cycles of addiction, crime, impoverishment, and desperation. Rather than wasting resources on evicting families, imprisoning individuals, and responding to physical and mental health challenges only when they reach a crisis moment, we can proactively address the root causes of hardship.

  • When I say “invest” in us, that’s exactly what I mean. We should be putting our resources into well-researched programs with a high potential to help people, and then making sure they are working.

    I have experience with this process of continuous improvement. When a non-profit presents a new program and needs funding, they are required to demonstrate the stability and success of the program through data. If the project’s outcomes don’t match the goals, or if there isn’t enough data to show an impact, the project won’t be funded.

    As Commissioner, I would work to build similar standards and and evaluation for programs and decisions at the County level, in order to ensure that we are not just investing in our community, but also making investments that make sense.

A Sustainable

Lehigh Valley.

Photograph of Jon Irons's dog, Dingo, in a small park in Bethlehem, PA. There are trees on the edges of the frame, the grass is green, and the sun is creating a lens flare. Dingo is a small red and white fluffy dog with his back to the camera.

We cannot treat the land or the people of Lehigh County as disposable. I will push for evidence-based policies that are both economically and environmentally responsible.

As County Commissioner, I will stand up for…

  • The county has a unique position in granting easements and approving exceptions for warehouse development in Lehigh County. Open space and farmland preservation are key priorities in this oversight. Increasing warehouse developments not only reduces green space, it leads to increased truck traffic and other environmental hazards that come with many industries. I support a moratorium on warehouse development until studies on the impact on communities, traffic, and the environment is better understood.

  • Climate justice is economic and social justice. Preparing for weather extremes like heat waves, droughts, and major precipitation is important especially for low-income and other marginalized communities. The time for action on climate change is now.

    As commissioner I will put forward legislation to tie zoning variances for new development to climate-conscious features including solar panels, electric vehicle stations, carbon offsets, and open lands preservation.

    I will also support projects that increase walkability and bikeability of Lehigh County. Connecting the D&L trail between Whitehall and Bethlehem is a critical first step to encourage recreation and engagement with outdoor space and the bikeability of the county.

  • In my political and professional life, I believe that data-driven decision making is the key to success and the key to understanding and implementing change. I trust the science on climate change, and I trust the math on budgets. Too many people in Lehigh County are struggling for us to waste money. As County Commissioner, I will read the studies, review the statistics, and learn from residents’ firsthand experience in order to make decisions that build both economically and environmentally toward Lehigh Valley’s future.