I recently had an opportunity to attend the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation's Annual Report Presentation, hosted at Steel Stacks with Governor Josh Shapiro as the guest speaker. I learned that the Lehigh Valley is expected to see a population increase of 100,000 additional residents over the course of the next 10 years. Our township is bound to expand as a result, and we must be ready for the coming growth. 

While the presence of the Palmer Township Business, Industrial, and Professional Association (BIP) provides a great commerce fellowship, Palmer is missing a Community and Economic Development presence. 

A Community and Economic Development presence in the township will bring grant opportunities to improve our township without additional costs to the taxpayer. I envision upgrades to our parks, facade and window upgrade programs for residents, increased services for our elderly population, and various recreational upgrades for our youth -- all at no additional cost to the taxpayer. 

As a supervisor, I will work to create an economic development presence in the township, by encouraging the board to create a Community and Economic Development committee, and hire a grant writer and administrator. 

As a designated "Tree City USA", we must maintain our beautiful township greenery and open space. The township has seen tremendous growth in new home developments and warehouses at the expense of our open spaces. 

As a supervisor, I will be a fierce advocate for officially labeling and designating "recognized open spaces", protecting them from development. This should not be confused as an anti-development stance, rather there is room to protect our open spaces AND bring great economic opportunities to the township. 

We must work to curb warehouse proliferation in and around the township. Conversely, we must also respect the influence that warehousing has on our local economy. The LVEDC's Annual Report suggests that warehousing and logistics serve as the second leading employment sector in the Lehigh Valley. 

When I served on the Easton Area School Board, I served on the Chrin Commerce Interchange Board of Directors, the responsible party for creating the Route 33 Tatamy intersection. This area is fitting for warehouses. Proximity to the highway and then-distance from community houses made for a perfect space to expand our warehouse industry. It made sense to situate our logistics centers there, and I am very proud of the progress of the interchange.

When elected, I will continue to support common sense land development opportunities in the township, just as I have done in my previous elected roles. 

I love the individual Palmer Township neighborhoods. They are beautiful, pleasant, great places with individual character. They are beautifully diverse, and represent many different walks of life, socioeconomic statuses, races and ethnicities, ages and genders, and more. I'd like to keep our neighborhoods just the way they are. 

It is important for there to be synergy between our codes, police, and public works departments. In keeping that synergy, we will be able to maintain the quality of our property, public spaces, and deter crime. 

I believe in "appropriate" taxation. Levy taxes for things that are necessary and appropriate, but be careful not to bloat budgets. While tax and fee increases are sometimes unavoidable due to service delivery changes and more, it is important to be prudent over township finances. This is why I am so adamant about increasing community and economic development opportunities to the township. In doing so, we can find creative ways to cover capital and one time  expenses without shifting the burden to the tax payer.