John Brown calls himself "lucky number seven" because he is Northampton County's seventh executive since the inception of home rule. He made these remarks at his annual State of the County address, delivered recently at Northampton Community College to a room full of elected officials, government workers and businesspeople. Brown's Lehigh County counterpart, Tom Muller, was there, and Brown joked that he had offered Muller a coupon for two free vetoes. But other than that one brief respite of humor, Brown's lengthy address was both dry and grim.

It was punctuated by an emphasis on dollars and complaints about a culture that resists what he calls progress. Brown emphasized that his goal is to operate county government in a cost-effective way, ensuring the efficient delivery of services while keeping taxes as low as possible. But he decried a status quo culture at the courthouse that resists change and progress.

One change made last year, and one that was extremely unpopular with the 2,200-person workforce, was his unilateral decision to reduce health benefits while denying wage hikes. This came at a time when many workers were also negatively impacted by an Easton commuter tax hike. Brown justified that decision because the cost of benefits is three times higher than the increase in tax revenues.

Brown also said the county is facing $49.5 million in expenses and capital needs within the next five years. These include the purchase of a $14.5 million human services building, $15 million in capital improvements badly needed at Gracedale and a looming $9.4 million excise tax under the Affordable Care Act. All this comes when the fund balance, once at $60 million, is currently just $8.2 million.

The county spends about $10 million per month.

Brown also pointed to problems at Gracedale, the county's nursing home, which he called a "two-headed dragon." Though the census there has been maximized, reimbursements from the state and federal government are insufficient to cover the costs of the facility. The county contribution this year is projected at $7.7 million. By 2018, he projects that the county will be spending $12.1 million at the facility.

Brown explained his approach most clearly when he discussed filling vacancies. Instead of just automatically filling them, he leaves them open. As they pile up, department heads ask to see him, and then he wants to see a justification for filling each position. He criticized a policy of "just hiring more people and throwing money at the problem."

"There are no sacred cows," said Brown. "There's nothing sacred, although a lot of departments believe they are."

Brown is hopeful the Chrin Interchange at Route 33, near Tatamy, will produce the 5,000 jobs needed to increase the tax base. He similarly has hopes for Bethlehem's CRIZ and the Slate Belt's Green Knight Industrial Park.