Issues
Sustained Growth, Good-Paying Jobs and Development
Economic security and stability are the foundation of a strong society and our freedoms. When you feel like you’re treading water, lose hope for the future and envision a life where you only survive, you’re not truly free. You’re not free to enjoy time with your family, experience life or truly engage in society.
As Executive, Josh will be focused on continuing the county’s record of strong economic development, focusing on growing our existing businesses, creating high-paying manufacturing jobs and union jobs, and ensuring the Lehigh Valley continues to outgrow the rest of Pennsylvania.
Create an economic development fund modeled after Cuyahoga County and PA Sites to expedite growth in the region and invest in strategic industrial and commercial development.
Prioritize re-industrializing our urban cores and existing communities through infill development and smaller-scale industrial sites, creating jobs close to existing communities and neighborhoods.
Collaborate with local communities and state officials to invest in and revitalize main streets across the Lehigh Valley, from Emmaus to Slatington, promoting walkability, mixed-use development and small businesses to create vibrant communities.
Encourage and incentivize the creation of town centers and center squares in communities which lack them, helping create vibrant mixed-use communities that generate business growth, increase revenue and improve quality of life.
Continue partnering with the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation on initiatives around site readiness and strategic marketing of core development opportunities, and collaborate with area developers to identify potential sites for development and pad readiness to quickly match prospective employers.
Invest in a localized business accelerator to scale up existing local firms and supercharge entrepreneurs to grow the next generation of Fortune 1000s and 500s.
Protect and Respect our Senior and Aging Population
Lehigh County seniors: you’ve worked hard, played by the rules and deserve to enjoy these years of your life. The Lehigh Valley owes you a debt of gratitude and respect for your contributions. Retirement with dignity is an element of the American Dream, and our local community should epitomize that.
As Executive, Josh will be focused on investing in accessible spaces and communities for our seniors, keep them safe from scam artists and criminals, and invest in social safety for our most vulnerable.
Continue the county’s commitment to maintaining and operating Cedarbrook at the highest standard and working to expand services and capacity. Lehigh County will not sell Cedarbrook or back away from our obligation to provide care to those who can’t care for themselves.
Collaborate with the District Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement to communicate financial scams targeted at seniors and aggressively prosecute those who prey on our elderly, and ensure sufficient resources to apprehend and deter offenders.
Prioritize Age-Friendly Communities and work with the AARP to ensure that development in our communities ensures all ages can enjoy access to incredible amenities our county offers.
Work with the State of Pennsylvania around their implementation of the 10-year masterplan for aging communities to ensure Lehigh County receives resources needed to provide attainable housing for our seniors, plus invest in our infrastructure and parks so our seniors can continue to enjoy a high-quality of life.
Invest in and Protect Democratic Participation
Democracy belongs to all of us – your vote and your voice are important, and casting a ballot is part of our civic responsibility. County government has the responsibility of administering our elections and ensuring that every resident can cast a legal ballot in a fair and free election.
As Executive, Josh will invest in our democratic process and ensure that every resident, no matter where they live or who they vote for, can make their voice heard and feel confident in their vote cast.
Expand access to drop boxes across Lehigh County to create more convenient locations for county residents to submit their mail-in ballot earlier with shorter commutes and more convenience.
Create satellite voting offices across the county to expand access to popular on-demand, mail-in ballot voting, allowing residents to cast their votes early in their own community.
Create a mobile ballot curing operation similar to Montgomery County, allowing residents that make errors on their ballots to quickly correct them and ensure their vote is counted.
Ensure constant communication and transparency about the election process and defend our democratic process from election deniers and those seeking to make it harder for legal votes to be cast.
Workers, Unions & Economic Justice
Workers and families, now more than ever, feel like they can’t get ahead and they’re treading water. People deserve to know that the government will fight for them, be their champion and be unafraid to take on the powerful interests in their defense. Government should have your back.
As Executive, Josh will use every tool at his disposal to defend working families, protect their wages and defend the union way of life. The Lehigh Valley is union proud and should be labor-built, from its public works projects to major developments. Development should benefit local labor and local families.
Create a labor enforcement division of the District Attorney’s Office to prosecute and hold accountable contractors and bad actors who undercut American workers, break labor laws and take advantage of workers.
Work with local service unions to create a labor management partnership so new county employees are onboarded and trained on benefits by organized labor, strengthening support for the right to organize and union way of life.
Increase communication between county government and bargaining units to make it easier to organize and strengthen the power of our working families.
Evaluate all county jobs to explore eliminating college degree requirements where possible to expand access to good jobs.
Create a labor liaison position in the Department of Community and Economic Development to coordinate with developments and developers in the Lehigh Valley and promote local contractors to promote their use on local projects.
Expand project labor agreements and responsible contractor ordinances to public authorities across the Lehigh Valley, from school boards to public authorities, to increase the pool of skilled labor.
Open Space & Smart Growth
The Lehigh Valley benefits from serene open space and farmland that must be preserved and protected from overdevelopment. Preservation of farmland and open space helps protect agriculture, keeps our environment clean and ensures a critical aspect of quality of life isn’t threatened.
As Executive, Josh will continue Lehigh County’s track record of success in preserving farmland from development and championing smart growth to ensure that new development doesn’t sprawl or unnecessarily use undeveloped land. Josh is a firm believer in smart growth and sustainable development practices that prioritizes development on existing infrastructure and density.
Continue Lehigh County’s historic investments in farmland preservation and leadership among counties in protecting the agricultural industry.
Work with developers to prioritize and incentivize smart growth, especially infill development and mixed-use development over suburban sprawl.
Collaborate with local municipalities to promote multi-municipal planning and consistent evaluation of local zoning codes to ensure that best development practices are being followed.
Public Transportation
Public transportation is vital for working families, economic development and smart growth. Quick and dependable public transportation can help us connect people to good-paying jobs, save working families money and promote denser, more walkable development. LANTA is a vital partner in making sure that Lehigh County residents are better connected to education, employment and leisure.
As Executive, Josh will be a champion for dependable and affordable public transit and work with Harrisburg to ensure LANTA receives the funding it needs. Josh believes we need to dream big with public transportation and that without ambitious goals, our roads will become more congested, traffic challenges will grow and neighborhoods will be overcrowded with cars, undermining our quality of life.
Collaborate with regional planners and LANTA to expand access to bus rapid transit and ensure that our infrastructure is built to accommodate those travel routes.
Fight to restore rail service to Philadelphia through SEPTA, connecting the Lehigh Valley to the rest of the Southeast, growing our economy and our region.
Explore and study the creation of a metrorail system connecting the cities of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton plus our fastest growing suburbs, connecting people to employment and entertainment and promoting more sustainable development.
Investing Assets and Amenities
Lehigh County is home to incredible and growing amenities and assets that anchor people in our region, from the PPL Center, Miller Symphony Hall and Allentown Art Museum to the Lehigh Valley Zoo, Trexler Nature Preserve, Coca Cola Park and a network of trails and parks. These regional assets are vital to our economic success and our region’s future. Quality of place is a rising factor in people determining where to live, move or start their businesses and retire.
As Executive, Josh will ensure that we invest in maintaining and expanding the quality of these assets, promote them beyond the Lehigh Valley, and protect and preserve them for future generations. He’ll also work to strategically develop county assets and create modern amenities and attractions to further enhance the Lehigh Valley’s appeal.
Lead the creation of a Regional Prosperity District similar to the Regional Asset District in Allegheny County to create a local funding stream to invest in our art and cultural assets and capital projects to keep the Lehigh Valley economically competitive.
Use the county’s tourism improvement district to aggressively market the county’s assets outside of the region to increase revenue, drive tourism and grow our arts and cultural economy.
Maintain and invest in our county parks and trail networks, improving connectivity and expanding programming to increase community use and engagement.
Coordinate with local communities to increase sports and recreation use.
Evaluate other communities to identify innovative parks and cultural developments to keep Lehigh Valley on the cutting edge of outdoor recreation.
Healthier and Happier Communities
County government is the safety net of local governments, whether it’s protecting children from abusive and unsafe homes or helping care for individuals with disabilities, county government is there to protect the vulnerable and advocate for those in need of help.
As Executive, Josh will work with department heads to ensure that we attract and retain social workers and listen to frontline workers to ensure we have the workforce to meet the needs of the community. Josh will continue to strengthen relationships with non-profits and our hospitals to help coordinate care for those who need it most and ensure those who need help are treated with dignity and compassion.
Work with area non-profits and school districts to address the youth mental health epidemic, especially the mental health crisis among young men.
Continue investing in treatment for opioid addiction and evidence-based harm reduction strategies to help folks tackle their addiction and lead a fulfilling life.
Promote healthy and active lifestyles and lead regional fitness and health initiatives to prevent chronic illness and help local residents maintain their health and wellness.
Address the epidemic of loneliness and isolation and create community through public events to build and foster social connection as a model to break down divisions and divides.
