Council member Grace Crampsie Smith to run for Bethlehem mayor

Democrat Grace Crampsie Smith, a member of Bethlehem City Council, announced she is running for mayor of the city.

“I have devoted my entire professional life to representing and serving others, with over 15 years working in county governments, and over five years on Bethlehem City Council, I have always assured sound fiscal management of public funds while working for the people,” Crampsie Smith said in an announcement.

Crampsie Smith will face incumbent Democrat J. William. Reynolds in the May 20 primary election.

Reynolds, a former council member in his first term as mayor, said he will announce his reelection campaign in coming weeks. He said he is currently concentrating on working with local, state and federal partners to figure out “the serious negative consequences” that President Donald Trump’s executive orders could have on Bethlehem.

Candidates must submit valid nomination papers before being placed on the ballot. Petition circulation begins on Feb. 18 and ends March 11.

Crampsie Smith was appointed to City Council in September 2019, after winning the May primary for a two-year term. She then ran for reelection in 2021, winning a four-year term, which expires at the end of this year. Crampsie Smith said she will not simultaneously run for council.

She is chair of the Finance Committee, serves on the Community Development and Public Works committees, and has served on the Public Safety Committee. She also serves on the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission and the Bethlehem Mental Health Services Appeals Board.

As councilwoman, Crampsie Smith successfully pushed an amendment to the tax abatement program known as LERTA, which requires developers to build affordable housing as part of their projects or pay a fee in lieu of such housing. She also was behind the effort to raise the fee to $52,320 per 10 housing units constructed.

Crampsie Smith sponsored a resolution to assure insurance coverage for post-traumatic stress disorder care for first responders. She also introduced a responsible contractor ordinance in addition to passing legislation to ban the sale of pets from puppy mills within the city.

“As both a resident and a qualified candidate, I am committed to leading Bethlehem toward a future that balances smart development with the preservation of our rich history and unique neighborhoods,” she said.

Crampsie Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology/social welfare from Bloomsburg University and a master’s degree in counseling from Lehigh University.

She spent her career working as a school counselor, addictions counselor and administrator of services for those with developmental disabilities and mental health diagnoses and their families. She is the mother of three grown children.