Jacob Roth issued the following statement announcing his candidacy for a full four-year term on the South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners.

“Today, March 8, I am proud to announce my candidacy for a full four-year term as commissioner of South Whitehall Township,” Roth said. “Nearly five years ago, I started attending public meetings as a member of South Whitehall Concerned Citizens.

“At the time, I was deeply troubled by the former board’s willingness to rubber stamp high density development with little concern for public safety, drastically hike our property taxes, and conduct business in a nontransparent manner.

“Fortunately, South Whitehall voters recognized this problem and elected an entirely new board in the 2019 and 2021 municipal elections.”

Roth said this past November, he was honored to join the new forward-thinking board of commissioners when he was unanimously appointed to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of former Commissioner Mike Wolk.

“Over the past three months, I have worked diligently to pass a balanced budget with no tax increase and advance the township’s new comprehensive plan, which will guide how our community grows over the next decade. However, we have so much more work to do to make sure South Whitehall remains the safe, vibrant community it has always been,” Roth said.

He said if elected, his chief objective is to continue protecting the quality of life in the township.

“We must proactively work to balance moderate growth and land preservation, all while keeping property taxes low,” Roth said. “As a public safety advocate, I will ensure the allocation of necessary resources for police, fire, and EMS while simultaneously investing in infrastructure improvements to reduce traffic congestion.”

Roth said critical municipal services - including recycling, trash, and leaf removal - must be carried out efficiently for the benefit of township residents.

“Finally, to preserve our community’s rich history, we must work with landowners and small businesses to promote the preservation and adaptive reuse of historic structures,” Roth added. “This is deeply personal for me. My family has called South Whitehall home for five generations, due in part to it being a great community in which to raise a family.

“It is a place where I hope to raise my own children someday.

“My family’s safety and well-being drove me to get involved in municipal government nearly five years ago, and it still motivates me today as a commissioner.

“It would be a true honor to continue to represent all South Whitehall families for the next four years as a member of the board of commissioners.”