Editor\u2019s Note: The Morning Call solicited Your Views from the two candidates in the race for the Northampton County executive\u2019s seat, Tara Zrinski, a Democrat who is the county controller, and Thomas Giovanni, a Republican who is a County Council member. The candidates were asked to discuss the main issues they feel are facing the county, and how they would approach them. They were further asked to focus on their plans, rather than attacking their opponent.<\/p>\n
Your Views from the Lehigh County candidates for executive will be published Thursday.<\/p>\n
Northampton County voters face a choice between leadership that moves us forward and leadership that stays silent. I\u2019m running for county executive because I believe our residents deserve transparency, accountability and action \u2014 not complacency and excuses.<\/p>\n
My record shows what that kind of leadership looks like. From my years on County Council to my current service as county controller, I\u2019ve been deeply engaged in the work of government. I\u2019ve delivered independent audits, strengthened fiscal oversight and fought to ensure that every decision serves the public \u2014 not politics.<\/p>\n
During my time on council, serving on a variety of boards and committees confirmed the importance of responsible growth that protects our farmland and heritage. As county executive, I will foster smart development while preserving open spaces and natural resources that make Northampton County special. I\u2019ll promote transparency in land use decisions, strengthen environmental standards and ensure tax incentives support projects that align with conservation goals. Arts, culture, tourism and small-business development can power our economy without sacrificing what makes our communities livable.<\/p>\n
When I\u2019m sworn in as county executive, I\u2019ll act immediately. My first directive will be to expand transparency and improve communication across all departments, giving residents real-time access to data and decisions. Within my first week, I\u2019ll convene community leaders \u2014 advocates for workers, housing and the environment \u2014 to set measurable goals for jobs, sustainability and public health. My Cabinet will be named and hopefully approved within the month so we can move quickly toward results-driven, accountable governance.<\/p>\n
When $5 million in county funds was rumored to be missing last year, I conducted an independent audit and proved the federal American Rescue Plan Act money was transferred to Gracedale in 2023, used for operative expenses and care of residents. The money isn\u2019t missing if we know where it went. The truth matters and the reality is that it was not placed in a restricted fund solely for what council\u2019s resolution intended, paying retention or sign-on bonuses. The audit was clear and not necessarily favorable to the current administration. That\u2019s the kind of integrity and follow-through I\u2019ll bring as county executive. My leadership will always be grounded in transparency and facts, not political theater or virtue signaling.<\/p>\n
My own mother\u2019s residence at Gracedale confirmed, through a deeply personal experience, the importance of compassionate, effective care. Gracedale Nursing Home must remain county-owned, and my administration will strengthen it. I will raise wages for staff, reduce our reliance on agency nurses and invest in facility upgrades to improve residents\u2019 dignity and comfort over the next four years. I plan to hire development staff capable of raising funds to offset county contributions and enhance services to assist the Friends of Gracedale nonprofit volunteer board.<\/p>\n
It has been claimed that Northampton County couldn\u2019t switch to paper ballots because the state wouldn\u2019t allow it. That is absolutely wrong. Lehigh County uses paper ballots right next door. The truth is, if we want to explore secure, verifiable voting methods, we can, and we should. One area that desperately needs facts over fiction is our elections. My plan builds on my commitment to fair and free elections. I will implement rigorous public testing of voting machines before every election, with independent observers verifying accuracy. I\u2019ll expand satellite voting offices in high-demand areas and train a diverse, capable poll workforce. I\u2019ll make sure every polling place is stocked with emergency paper ballots so that technical problems never silence voters.<\/p>\n
Northampton has adopted electronic poll books (tools that now save time and reduce errors). Without those upgrades, our elections would be slower and more cumbersome. I supported them because I listened to poll workers who knew what they needed to do the job right. That\u2019s what responsiveness looks like.<\/p>\n
I welcome tough questions. I believe in open dialogue. That\u2019s how democracy works. My approach as county executive will be the same as it has always been: no shortcuts, no excuses, no politics \u2014 just clear, documented accountability. I\u2019ve spent my career proving that good government means showing up, doing the work and telling the truth. As county executive, I\u2019ll keep that promise every day \u2014 make Northampton county stronger, more transparent and more responsive to the people who call it home.<\/p>\n
On Nov. 4, I ask for your vote for leadership that listens, speaks and delivers. Northampton County deserves a voice, and I won\u2019t be silent.<\/p>\n
This is a contributed opinion column. Tara Zrinski is the Northampton County controller. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author, and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication. Do you have a perspective to share? Learn more about how we handle guest opinion submissions at themorningcall.com\/opinions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Editor\u2019s Note: The Morning Call solicited Your Views from the two candidates in the race for the Northampton…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":816,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154,1559],"class_list":["post-12701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem-headlines","tag-bethlehem-news","tag-opinion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12701","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12701"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12701\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/816"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}