City Controller Candidate Comes Out Swinging

A few weeks ago I previewed the contested elections in the city. The City Controller race was one in which I knew little about about each candidate. Well thanks Republican Candidate Meg Holland, that has changed.

Holland held a news conference in front of her business on Broad St. yesterday. You can read the Morning Call's coverage here and the Express Times coverage here.

Among the issues Holland discussed, were the casino host fee and development of the Steel land. She feels that money that these projects will bring in are too important to leave the controller job to someone with no accounting experience. She wants to make the sure the host fee is spent on what it is supposed to be spent on.

Holland's opponent is Democrat David DiGiacinto. He is currently a manager at Spencer Trask Group in New York City and was a former member of the Bethlehem Authority. He tells the Morning Call that he has financial oversight experience and there is no requirement that the Controller be a CPA.

DiGiacinto also feels that the Controller position is more than just oversight and that the immediate goals should be to manage the City's cash flow and pay the City's debts.

This is the first time since 1964 that the City will elect a new controller. The $47,000.00 year job is considered part-time. Holland said she plans to devote 10-20 hours per week if elected.

Well I did want to know more about each candidate and now I do. I feel that this race will be very interesting. Democrats have a registration advantage in Bethlehem, so DiGiacinto clearly has an advantage. Holland is very qualified and makes compelling reasons to be elected. I am just not convinced that enough Republicans will vote in this election and enough Democrats will vote for her.