Republican LoriAnn Fehnel has announced her candidacy for Whitehall-Coplay School Board and Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners.

She said one of her biggest concerns for the school district is repetitive tax hikes.

“We have struggling families, and it seems current school board members repeatedly raised taxes without asking questions and are approving new administration positions,” Fehnel said. “My plan would be for an independent auditor to evaluate what positions are needed and not needed with school administrators.”

She emphasized the importance of working within a budget so as “not to burden the taxpayers who are struggling to make ends meet.”

Fehnel’s concerns for Whitehall Township include littering, homeless camps, blighted properties and volunteers for the fire department.

“We have seen an increase in littering in commercial districts, homeless encampments forming and properties becoming eye sores,” Fehnel said. “I am highly concerned that we have barely any volunteers left on our fire department, and I believe we need a change in fire department leadership to recruit volunteers with a positive morale.”

She said the best way to figure out these issues is to get input from constituents and to create a community health and safety team.