BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh County Commissioner Jon Irons, perhaps the loudest progressive voice in county politics, announced Wednesday he will resign later this month.
Irons said in a prepared statement that he and his family intend to move to Atlanta later this year to pursue a career opportunity. He is announcing his intention to step down now so that county commissioners will have an opportunity to fill his at-large seat as soon as possible, he said.
"It pains me that I cannot be there to take on another four years of trouble making and strange alliances, but it was a joy to work out big ideas in the one-of-a-kind forum that is the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners," the Bethlehem resident said.
Irons was part of a Democratic slate that swept the 2023 election and protected the party's control of the board. Since then, he has been a persistent advocate for progressive causes. In the past three years, he voted for a non-discrimination ordinance, expressed openness to creating a wealth tax and introduced a controversial resolution that identified "the recent actions of the Federal Government as embracing fascist ideology and practice at the very highest levels of government."
In his statement, Irons thanked nearly every commissioner on the board by name – his ideological opposite Antonio Pineda was the lone exception – for their leadership and work at the county level.
"The work of local government is narrow and niche, but it has a profound impact on people's lives across the county. While I wish that I had more time to work on improving the lives of county residents, I am proud of the work that I was able to accomplish alongside community organizers and my colleagues on the board," he said.
Irons departure is unlikely to significantly alter county politics. While he embodied the board's left wing, his vacancy would leave Democrats with 6-1-1 majority on the board; Commissioner Ron Beitler recently left the Republican Party to become an independent.
Diana Scholl, the board's clerk, said Wednesday the board will advertise instructions for interested parties to apply for the upcoming vacancy. However, the board cannot accept applications until the position is vacated.