Author Frank Whelan to autograph books at public signing

 Public urged to attend March 10^th Community Celebration at Allentown Agri-Plex

This is now my seventh time to stand before you to offer a State of Lehigh County address. I really don’t understand where the years went. God willing, I will have one more to give before my allowed time in this office expires.

           In seven years as County Executive, I’ve only vetoed one action of the Board of Commissioners. It was during my first few months in office in 2006 and it was a sale of county land near the Wastewater Pre-Treatment Facility. The previous administration had agreed to sell it for less than its market value to a hotel developer without a bid process. My veto was promptly overridden by an overwhelming majority of the Board, which, was then, as it is now, a 7-2 Republican-controlled Board.  Therefore, my track record is not very good. I’m 0-1 on vetoes.

          Today, I have issued only my second veto in seven years. Earlier this afternoon, I sent a veto message to the Board of Commissioners regarding the recent authorization of a county-wide real estate reassessment.

          I have full respect for the authority of the Board of Commissioners on this matter. I realize that they have passed this by a unanimous vote. I am vetoing this because it is the wrong thing to do at the wrong time...