County Commissioner Brace seeks reelection
CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE
Lehigh County Board of Commissioners Chair Geoff Brace has announced his plans to seek reelection in 2025.
“While many parts of this great country have struggled to rebound from the Great Recession and a global pandemic, Lehigh County is leading the way in Pennsylvania,” Brace said. “There is always more work to be done in our quest for liberty and justice for all, but Lehigh County is showing how we can make a strong economy, strong democracy and safe environment.”
When Brace took office after the 2013 election, the board of commissioners and executive were reportedly at a series of impasses on how to address critical decisions for the county. County government was stuck and needed leadership to get through the impasse, Brace said.
Brace said he has been a key leader in making progress on the future of Cedarbrook Skilled Nursing Facility, improving and launching new behavioral and mental health services and building a stronger safety net in the community. Additionally, he said he has been a force for generating and focusing new resources for violence prevention, homelessness services, reentry efforts, affordable housing strategies and development and easing the opioid epidemic.
“Over the past four years, Lehigh County has done more than it ever has to address national issues right here in our own backyard,” Brace said. “We’re addressing the critical issues of our time through more affordable housing, strengthening our 911 system, providing more resources for first responders, fighting back against open-space-eating mega developments, saving lives by holding opioid manufacturers and distributors responsible for their addiction-causing practices, launching crisis mental health services that will save lives, approving the strongest nondiscrimination ordinance in Pennsylvania and showing fiscal responsibility in the process.”
Looking into the next four years, Brace said he hopes to build on the progress county government is making on issues important to the citizens of Lehigh County.
“We are not done in Lehigh County,” Brace said. “There are huge issues we face to continue taking care of seniors, investing in our local economy and housing and making our communities safe.”
Brace represents District 4 on the board of commissioners. District 4 consists of Allentown wards 4-8, 10-11 and 17, along with South Whitehall Township. Brace has been chair of the board of commissioners since 2021.
Outside of county government, he is legislative assistant to state Rep. Mike Schlossberg, where he works in his local district office managing communications, outreach and helping people cut through red-tape in state government.
Brace is married to Sara Jane, a Northern Lehigh graduate and Allentown School District teacher. Together they are raising their son, Isaac, a middle school student, as an active member of the community.
Brace will host his campaign kickoff and petition signing party 5-7 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Dance Dietitian, 602 N. St. Cloud St., Allentown.
More information about Brace and his reelection platform is available at geoffbrace.com.