Democrat Bill Leiner Jr. of Coplay and incumbent Republican Tom Creighton of Lynn Township are candidates for the District 3 seat on the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners. The District 1 commissioner represents voters in the boroughs of Coplay and Slatington and in Heidelberg, Lowhill, Lynn, North Whitehall, Washington, Weisenberg and Whitehall townships.

Bill Leiner Jr.

The most important issue Lehigh County faces is managing its budget and finances in a responsible manner. The finances need to be approached in a level-headed approach, not driven by an ideology that sacrifices the needs of Lehigh County residents to an illogical, extreme ideology. The choice to recently reassess taxes was driven by an extreme ideology that did not serve the residents of District 1.

I have a clear record of fiscal conservatism as evidenced by the fact that as Coplay mayor I was the only mayor to tie break against a tax hike, and also to veto a borough council budget that contained an unwarranted tax hike. Most recently, as a Coplay Borough Council member, I voted against the 2013 budget because the council majority did not complete due diligence in holding the line on taxes.

If I am elected, the taxpayers will have an advocate for responsible government with a commitment to nonideological fiscal conservatism.

Tom Creighton

The most important issue in the upcoming election will be between my opponent, who will vote for higher taxes and bigger county government and myself, a fiscal conservative.

I will vote to decrease the size of government and not to increase it.

I treasure the famous quote from Thomas Jefferson, " The best government for the people is the government that governs the least."

In the past I have voted to decrease government and I will continue to do so.