Politics & Government

Meet Lehigh County Executive Candidate: Tom Muller

Democrat Tom Muller is running for Lehigh County Executive in Tuesday's election.

TOM MULLER

Age: 69

Family: Wife, MJ; children, Joy and JT. MJ, who runs the kitchen at St. Thomas More School in Salisbury Township, also was instrumental in the opening of "Mary's Shelter" for unwed mothers in West Bethlehem.

Education: B.S. degrees in business and journalism from Syracuse University; M.B.A. from Farleigh Dickinson (N.J.) evening program.

Professional/business: Former president and chief operating officer of Crayola's children's art supplies business; currently Lehigh County director of administration; chairman of Easton Hospital's board of directors for past six years; board member of Lehigh County Authority and Mercy Special Learning Center; part-time professor at Cedar Crest College.

Q. What is the overriding issue facing Lehigh County and what needs to be done about it?

A. Finding ways to limit spending, increase revenue and balance a budget without raising taxes. We need to encourage economic development in order to expand the tax base with tax incentives like the TIF we tried to pass for the Costco Shopping Center in Lower Macungie, which was rejected by the extremist commissioners. Economic development means jobs, which means a vibrant local economy.

Q. Funding for the Lehigh Valley Zoo is in limbo, after commissioners again tabled a vote on six-year funding for the zoo. Will you support the six-year funding, which was calling for an annual zoo subsidy of $277,500 from 2014 to 2016 and $242,500 for 2017 to 2019? Why or why not?

A. I plan on helping the Lehigh Valley Zoo to the modest degree they have requested because it is a valuable asset to the families and especially the children of Lehigh County.

Q. Given Cedarbrook nursing home's financial woes (it has asked the county for more financial support, given money shortfalls), what should be done?

A. We must find ways to run it more efficiently and assist management with finding further private and corporate funding, but Cedarbrook will not be sold under my administration.

Q. Why should Lehigh County residents vote for you?

A. I am running for Lehigh County executive because I want Lehigh County government to continue to provide quality services to our residents while maintaining a fiscally responsible budget. Serving as director of administration for the last seven years, I have been an integral part of running Lehigh County in an efficient, fiscally responsible manner. I am the candidate with the experience and proven results to get the job done. My years in the corporate business world, both nationally and internationally, have given me the experience to run Lehigh County, a large business with a $365 million budget and over 2,000 employees. As county executive, I will work hard to make Lehigh County a better place to live, work and raise a family.


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