Scott Ott Concedes Lehigh County Executive Election

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:35:37 +0000

After personally witnessing Friday's review of precinct vote totals, by the staff at the Lehigh County Voter Registration office, I'm convinced that a recount is unlikely to produce significantly different results.

The final tally had me and incumbent County Executive Don Cunningham separated by only 870 votes out of 41,228 cast. His margin of victory came entirely from urban precincts where Democrats outnumber Republicans by three or four to one. Among the 30,000 or so voters who live outside of Allentown, I received about 2,500 more votes than he did.

While I know the final result has been heartbreaking to the many people who gave sacrificially of their time and money to this campaign, I see in this race genuine hope for a better future for Lehigh County, for our state and for our nation. No incumbent can rest on his laurels. No seat is safe. Every elected official must be called to account every day.

Why Incumbent Don Cunningham Needs to Go

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:52:42 +0000

Please join us for our Victory Party Tonight at Pizza World. See the map here.

BREAKING: Scott Ott v. Don Cunningham Debate Video Online Now

Read about the Scott Ott v. Don Cunningham debate in Morning Call.

ALERT: Read Don Cunningham's letter threatening local churches.

In contrast with Don Cunningham's overspending, Scott Ott will reduce expenses to meet current revenues without a tax hike, institute zero-based budgeting to force every dollar to justify itself every year, and put the county check register online so you can see every penny of spending and where it goes. The chart above illustrates why even a leading Democrat commissioner views a 2011 tax hike as "inevitable", and several Republicans call it a coming "train wreck." While Don Cunningham has spent hundreds of thousands in campaign cash touting his record of fiscal responsibility, the facts from his own budgets tell a different story. Take a look at the budgets for yourself.

Download PDF files: 2006 (Jane Ervin's Last) | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 (proposed summary)

You Did It: $5K in Less Than 2 Weeks

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:49:09 +0000

With just days to go before the November 3 election, we still need to contact more folks to invite them to come out and vote for Scott Ott. Supporters from Lehigh County and across the nation helped to raise $5,386 online quickly, blowing past our $5,000-by-Nov. 3 goal. This year to date, the campaign has raised $18,618.43 from online donors via credit card and PayPal. More contributions have come in by mail. We're told that this is unprecedented for a local candidate.

Will you help right now? Click the 'Donate Today' button to the right, or to contribute with PayPal use the button in the right margin. You can also mail a check to:

Vote Scott Ott, P.O. Box 3121, Allentown, PA 18106

To give with credit card by phone, call 610-573-6383

Why Vote for Scott Ott, Against Don Cunningham

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:22:46 +0000

Here's a quick look at some of the top reasons to elect Scott Ott Lehigh County Executive, and by contrast, why incumbent Don Cunningham should be fired.

1) Lehigh County faces a major property tax increase in 2011 unless major spending cuts happen in 2010. Don Cunningham's 2010 budget calls for more spending, even in the 'worst financial crisis since the Great Depression'. He has overspent revenues year after year -- by $6 million, $8 million, $12.5 million, and in 2010, by nearly $20 million. By the end of 2010, Cunningham will have depleted the Tax Relief Fund forcing a big property tax increase in 2011.

Scott Ott believes the county should not spend more than it takes in, and should not raise taxes. He offers three specific tactics for dealing with the aftermath of Cunningham's reign of fiscal error.

Don't Wait for 2010, Send a Shockwave Thru D.C. Now

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:29:30 +0000

If you're sick of what's happening in Washington D.C. and Harrisburg where career politicians limit your liberty with their unlimited spending, you don't have to wait until 2010 to send a message that 'Enough is Enough'.

Cunningham 2010 Budget Spends More, Robs Reserves

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:35:01 +0000

Download audio version, or scroll to the bottom and use audio player.

The Morning Call gave Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham the headline he wanted after his vague preview Thursday (8/28/2009) of his 2010 budget...

No tax increase for Lehigh County

But the career politician, and failed gubernatorial candidate, is likely less excited about the subheading...

Cunningham, running for re-election, will use predecessor's relief fund to avoid a hike

That perfectly encapsulates Don Cunningham's tenure as County Executive -- political ambition, deficit spending and the good fortune to inherit a huge tax hike from his predecessor.

The Morning Call story includes my reaction:

Scott Ott, Cunningham's Republican opponent in the Nov. 3 election, said he was not surprised by the no-tax announcement. He said the county under Cunningham has actually spent more money than it has taken in by drawing down from the fund Ervin started.

''We have gotten Lehigh County residents reliant on money that can disappear,'' he said, adding if he were executive he would have asked department heads to cut spending 11 percent to 12 percent.

In his speech, Cunningham had Ott and other critics in mind when he acknowledged that spending the tax relief fund ''seems to bother some people.''

Help Stop 2 Tax Hike Threats in Lehigh County

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:49:42 +0000

You Face Two Tax Hike Threats Unless You Act Now

A bill in the Pennsylvania General Assembly would allow Lehigh County to impose a 16.66 percent sales tax hike. County Executive Don Cunningham won't say where he stands on the question. In February, he flirted with the possibilities of a sales tax boost for raising new revenue.

Local reporter Ken Petrini just wrote a thorough analysis of the sales tax proposal, noting that Scott Ott stands firmly against new taxes

In the Lehigh County election, Scott Ott, the Republican candidate for county executive, announced on July 27 that he would not impose the tax if elected. He called upon Don Cunningham, his Democratic opponent, to join him in his pledge. Cunningham has not yet announced if he will join Ott in opposing the tax.

Scott Ott: Husband, Dad, Leader, Political Outsider

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 03:53:51 +0000

Father of four and husband of Stephanie, Lehigh County Executive candidate Scott Ott writes a twice-weekly column for the Washington Examiner (circulation 800,000) in a style he developed during seven years of writing at ScrappleFace.com, the world's leading family-friendly news satire source. His work has been quoted by Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and many others, and cited in The Wall Street Journal's 'Best of the Web Today', Sports Illustrated, The Weekly Standard and many other publications, as well as thousands of web sites. Scott is also co-host of a web-based news commentary show called Trifecta on PJTV.com, and a frequent guest commentator on CNN.com LIVE. A self-employed contractor, he also installs and operates content management systems.

Top 5 Reasons to Fire Don Cunningham in 2009

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:40:16 +0000

When you run for office, it's not enough to simply convince people you can do the job better, you have to give voters a reason to fire the incumbent. This isn't dirty or negative campaigning, it's just a fact of life that folks are more likely to stick than to switch.

I'm running for Lehigh County Executive against Don Cunningham. So, here's a list of the...

Top 5 Reasons to Fire Don Cunningham in 2009

Pat Toomey Endorses Scott Ott

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 01:09:30 +0000

U.S. Senate candidate Pat Toomey has endorsed Scott Ott for Lehigh County Executive. Mr. Toomey's endorsement appears below.

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