Northampton County is prospering but has challenges ahead and must prioritize strengthening the middle class by providing quality jobs and a quality place to live, County Executive Lamont McClure said during his annual State of the County address.

“Our future is green,” McClure, who is in his second term, told more than 200 people at Historic Hotel Bethlehem on May 24. “But what does that mean? … Well, my friends, green is the color of nature. And green is the color of money. And green is a light that tells us to go forward into the future.” 

The event was hosted by Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. (LVEDC). Northampton County partners with LVEDC, and McClure is a member of LVEDC’s Board of Directors.

McClure offered several examples of how the county has flourished in the last six years, including:

• Ranking fifth in median household income among Pennsylvania’s 67 counties
• Investment of $25 million to preserve farmland, open space, and environmentally sensitive land by the end of his current term
• Construction of three new county parks totaling more than 300 acres
• Keeping Gracedale, the county nursing home, open and in county control
• Balancing five consecutive budgets, and cutting property taxes in 2022

“What the tax cut did was signal to business, small and large, that we were open for business,” McClure said. “What it signaled to our homeowners, who were beleaguered by ever-rising real estate property taxes, is that we were on their side.”

While being able to boast of overflowing successes, Northampton County cannot be complacent, McClure said.

He said more must be done to protect the environment by improving air quality and the quality of the Lehigh River. More affordable housing is needed. The scourge of deadly fentanyl must be eradicated. Broadband internet must be available universally. Passenger rail service must connect the Lehigh Valley to New York City.

And, McClure said, the construction of new warehouses should not be incentivized with tax credits. “They’ll come here without tax breaks.”

Because the Lehigh Valley is within a day’s drive of one-third of the U.S. population, the region is a prime location for distribution facilities.

There is “nothing inherently bad” about warehouses, McClure said. He touted the presence of iconic logistics brands such as FedEx, UPS, and Amazon. 

“They pay taxes. They employ people. It’s good for us,” he said.

But there are enough warehouses, he said: “We’re done.”

McClure cautioned that “not all big boxes are warehouses.” He said many hold manufacturing operations, such as Bowery Farming, which he described as a “futuristic farm” and “an amazing place.”

Bowery, the largest vertical farming company in America, opened in Bethlehem in 2022. It is anticipated to create at least 70 full-time jobs and invest $30 million. 

“It's exactly the kind of businesses we want going forward,” McClure said.

He said some warehouses are necessary, including Martin Guitars’, which stores imported wood in a temperature-controlled environment.

“Without this building here, with its capabilities, we might lose iconic manufacturing. That's the kind of businesses we want to retain. We want to attract the Bowerys and retain the Martins. That's what we want to do. That's how we will strengthen our middle class,” McClure said.

Workforce Board Lehigh Valley was the Presenting Sponsor for the State of Northampton County event. BSI Corporate Benefits was the Platinum Sponsor. Lehigh Valley International Airport was the Gold Sponsor.