To the Editor:

Whitehall is at a decisive time in its history. Even with some of the highest tax rates in Lehigh County, our current leadership cannot fund our emergency services, let alone open our pools.

Whitehall’s 2024 proposed budget reflects a $4.1 million loss. As a result, Whitehall will have two choices in the coming years. It can either keep raising taxes - squeezing families and seniors to the breaking point - or we can get the spending under control.

In January 2022, I ended a 41-year career with the Pennsylvania State Police after you elected me as your tax collector to fix the issues in the tax office. It was my promise to make sure we put the safeguards in place to ensure loss of taxpayer money never happens again.

In less than two years, I made use of my experience as a small-business owner, not to mention 19 years of volunteer experience on Whitehall-Coplay School Board, to put these safeguards in place.

Auditors are happy. It’s now time to tackle the bigger issues in our township, many of which have plagued our township for years.

The fact is, I’m the only candidate running to be Whitehall’s mayor who actually has a platform to transform Whitehall. As your mayor, the budget will be heavily scrutinized, and we’ll find the money to fund our fire department, open your pools and build facilities residents actually want.

I know we can do this without the need to keep raising taxes. It’s time our administration makes do with our tax base. Whitehall simply cannot afford four more years of sexual harassment lawsuits, commissioners being removed and inaction.

As the only candidate with a path forward, I hope you’ll vote for me, Tina Jo Koren (Whitehall Class of 1979), as Whitehall’s next mayor.

Tina Jo Koren

Whitehall Township