Two current Centre County commissioners are teaming up as they seek a return to the board in this year’s election.
Democrats Amber Concepcion and Mark Higgins announced on Monday they will run a joint campaign to retain their seats.
Higgins, the current chair of the board, will be seeking his third term as commissioner, having been first elected in 2015 and reelected in 2019.
“I love serving the citizens of Centre County and would humbly ask the citizens of Centre County for the opportunity to continue serving for a third term,” Higgins said in a statement. “I have been part of a team that has not increased County Government property taxes for 13 years. We have continuously visited all 35 municipalities in Centre County and will continue to care deeply about the County as a whole.”
Concepcion, the current vice chair, will be running for her first elected term as commissioner. She was previously an 11-year member of the State College Area School Board, including nine as president, and was appointed commissioner earlier this month to fill the vacancy created when Michael Pipe left for a job in Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration.
“Now, more than ever, county government services are vital to growing our local economies, investing in infrastructure and serving the needs of families throughout the county,” she said.
Higgins and Concepcion said their focus would be on “supporting secure and healthy families and businesses throughout the county.” They pointed to examples such as the upcoming behavioral health court that will begin this year and join the DUI and drug specialty courts in Centre County — initiatives designed to balance the rights rights of victims and the accused while aiding in rehabilitation and reduced repeat offenses.
They also noted the pending repurposing of the former Centre Crest building in Bellefonte for county human services, elections office and other departments as an ongoing effort to improve services and convenience for residents.
As commissioners, Higgins and Concepcion serve on the Board of Elections and said in those dual roles they “will continue defending the rights of citizens to have their votes counted accurately,” work to continue access to ballot drop boxes in safe locations throughout the county, and “to administer elections that all citizens can participate in confidently.”
Their goals for the county’s future include “preserving and expanding housing that citizens can afford, continued support for economic development in all 35 Centre County municipalities, broadband services for unserved and underserved families and small businesses, better access to mental health services and sustainable energy initiatives that provide a strong return on investment.”
Higgins, of State College, has long expressed his support for downtowns and small businesses, and he was part of the effort to award $10 million in direct grants to small businesses in Centre County in 2020 and 2021. He said he has used his more than three decades of private sector and business development experience to help reduce county government operating costs by millions of dollars a year while increasing services.
He serves on 34 authorities, boards and commissions at the local, county, regional, state and national levels.
Concepcion is new to the Board of Commissioners, but not to elected service. During her tenure on the State College Area School Board, she helped lead efforts to bring the district to financial stability and to replace aging facilities with new and renovated spaces to meet long-term needs. She said the district during that time has prioritized student needs while setting high expectations for growth through “supportive and rigorous academic programs.”
She and her husband run a small business that provides web and business development services. They live in Patton Township with their three daughters.
All three Board of Commissioners positions are up for election this year. The third seat is currently held by longtime Commissioner Steve Dershem, who has not yet announced a reelection campaign.
Republican challenger Marie Librizzi is the only other candidate to date to announce a run for commissioner. She also announced her candidacy on Monday.
Primary Election Day is May 16. The first day for candidates to circulate and file nomination petitions is Feb. 14.
The 2023 Municipal Election is Nov. 7.
