LC Exec: Dent Endorses Osborne; Baker and Heydt Pick Eckhart

As the Republican primary for Lehigh County Executive begins to unfold, the endorsement have begun. Glenn Eckhart has picked up endorsements from former Allentown Mayor Bill Heydt and former Lehigh County Exec Jane Baker. Brad Osborne has received a rare primary endorsement from Congressman Charlie Dent.

Bill Heydt on Eckhart: “Glenn has served the taxpayer’s of Lehigh County faithfully. He worked hard to reform pensions in Lehigh County, saving the taxpayers millions of dollars.”

Jane Baker on Eckhart: "[E]xperience matters, we need to be electing people who can make tough decisions when it matters most. I know Glenn is that individual with just the right executive experience.”

Dent's endorsement of Osborne is more detailed.

Charlie Dent Endorsement by BernieOHare on Scribd

LC Exec Wannabe Eckhart's Honesty Claim

LC Controller Glenn Eckhart would like to be LC Exec Glenn Eckhart. So yesterday, he issued a news release. He announces no new initiatives. He makes no pledges. The reason for his missive is to announce that he's honest. You know things are really bad when a politician actually thinks it's newsworthy to announce that he's being honest. And perhaps it is.

But Eckhart starts off with a canard. Here's his first paragraph:

(Lehigh County, PA) Glenn Eckhart, Lehigh County Controller and Republican candidate for Lehigh County Executive makes good on his promises to the taxpayers of Lehigh County. In the heat of a campaign, politicians tend to make one empty promise after another, Eckhart observes. Eckhart believes it is a good thing he is not a politician; but instead represents a rare breed of true public servants. “Talk is cheap, but I am proud to say that I have followed through on three very important promises that I made to the people of Lehigh County.” Said Eckhart.

Can you find the lie? Yes, it's his claim that he's not a politician. He went from Salisbury Tp Comm'r (2000 to 2005) to Lehigh County Comm'r (2006 to 2011) to Lehigh County Controller (2012 to present). He's also an elected state committee person for the GOP. He proves he's a politician with this obvious falsehood.

He goes on to say that he's really cool because he kept his word when he said he'd take no payraise, no pension and would present a plan to save $5 million.

“I think it is important to be honest with people. I don’t expect everyone to agree with me all the time, but when I say I am going to do something, I am going to do it.”

In case you missed it the first time, he says it again.

"What I say I am going to do, I am going to do. It is just that simple. I am going to be the advocate for the taxpayer. ”

Eckhart never bothers telling us what his plan was, or whether it was actually implemented.

When it comes to honesty, what I know is that Eckhart pretended to support an anti-pay-to-play ordinance in Lehigh County, but behind the scenes, he attempted to kill it. In a 10-31-16 email to Comm'r Dan Hartzell, Eckhart claimed he wanted to "repeal the whole thing," calling it a "bad ordinance."  He said his Solicitor opined that the law is unconstitutional, but correspondence from her says no such thing.

So when Glenn wants to brag about his honesty, I suppose you could say he's honest compared to Fed Ed But that's not saying much. I see no difference between Glenn and his opponent, Brad Osborne, when it comes to honesty. They are both politicians.

Vic Mazziotti Slams Osborne Over Hansell Veto

He's one of what I originally called the "Gang of Four." More politely, he's a member of the so-called "Reform Team" intent on downsizing Lehigh County government. But he's no fire-breathing dragon. Quiet and unassuming, Lehigh County Commissioner Vic Mazziotti has always been reasonable in my dealings with him.  As Northampton County's Fiscal Affairs Director, he really did save the County millions of dollars annually. But he's finding it's a lot tougher on the other side of the dais. He's no politician. He says things, quietly, that read like a Declaration of War in print.

On Thursday, Lehigh County Executive Bill Hansell vetoed budget amendments that Vic had supported. Vic, along with four other Commissioners, slashed $5 million from the budget with the stoke of the pen. And where they did it left me scratching my head. They cut the money out of employee compensation, creating a major jobs cut.

I know what Vic was doing. I'll lay odds it was even his idea. He told me many times, when he was in Northampton County, that it is always possible to cut 10% from a budget, and that it's done in the private sector all the time. But jobs?

 On Friday, when I caught up with Vic, he told me that Commissioners stated repeatedly that they just selected a major line item to make the cut, and had no intention ever of seeing anyone lose their jobs. They wanted the Exec to come back with $5 million in cuts in other areas.

In Hansell's veto, he did come back with $3.5 million in non-personnel cuts, calling it a compromise. He has the support of four Commissioners, so you'd think this crisis is over. But it might just be beginning.

Quietly, at times almost inaudible, Mazziotti blasted Hansell, claiming he would fire him if he were a County Manager and not the Executive. Vic denied that he had turned down multiple requests for a meeting, as Hansell had claimed in his Budget Veto message.

But that was mild, compared to his harangue against Brad Osborne, Chairman of the Commissioners. Osborne supported Hansell's veto and appeared at the news conference.

"When he was running, Osborne claimed he was fiercely independent," said Mazziotti. "What I've found is that he is fiercely indecisive, and that is one of his better points."

Mazziotti went on to charge that Osborne, who is not only Chairman of the Board but a fellow Republican, never contacted Vic or any of the four remaining Commissioners who supported the jobs cut. "I find this extremely disloyal to the Republican majority," stated Mazziotti. ""He did not inform the majority. He hasn't called since. Maybe he's planning on changing parties."

Ominously, Mazziotti stated, "This may not get resolved until the next election." He also agreed with Commissioner Percy Dougherty's assessment that he is a "marked man." Percy Dougherty, like Osborne, supported Hansell's veto.

If this is ever resolved, it will be without Mazziotti. He's not running again. He tells me one term is "more than enough." He adds that Osborne had claimed that power issues made it impossible to reach out and contact him, but apparently is having trouble believing it.

I will catch up with Brad Osborne and get his side of the story as soon as I can.

Hansell Vetoes $5 Million Jobs Cut in Lehigh County

LC Exec Bill Hansell

Despite the lack of power, Lehigh County Executive Bill Hansell convened a news conference on November 1 to announce his veto of a budget amendment approved by a divided, 5-4, Board of Commissioners late last month. Their amendment slashed $5 million from the budget by reducing compensation to the County's workforce. Hansell blasted this jobs cut as "an unnecessary threat made against a work force that is already well under the number of employees that Lehigh County had twenty years ago." He added this cut "serves only to demoralize our staff with threats of furloughs, layoffs and terminations."

In addition to the veto, Hansell reduced non-personnel expenses by $3.5 million from what was contained in his original budget, which he called a compromise to a budget amendment that proposed $5 million.

Supporting Hansell at this news conference were Lehigh County Commissioners Percy Dougherty, David Jones, Dan McCarthy and Brad Osborne. With this support, it appears unlikely that Commissioners will be able to muster the six votes needed to override Hansell.

Also joining Hansell were numerous County officials, from Republican DA Jim Martin to Democratic Sheriff Ron Rossi.

Commissioner Lisa Scheller, part of the five-member coalition who supported a $5 million reduction in employee compensation, filmed part of the news conference and walked out, shaking her head.

District Attorney Jim Martin noted that last month's budget amendment instilled fear of layoffs or pay cuts in the approximately 45 employees under his supervision. "I can tell you that none of them deserve that," he remarked. "They work very diligently and hard on behalf of all of the citizens. He called the $5 million jobs cut, which translates to 100 employees, as unnecessary. "It was not a thoughtful approach," he argued. "If we can't prosecute cases, we can't fulfill our obligations." He commended the "political courage" of the four Commissioners who stood with Hansell

One of these, Dr. Percy Dougherty, a Republican, stated he is now a "marked man," referring to next year's election. A geologist by education, Dr. Dougherty described the budget process in lyrical terms. "The dark clouds that we saw on the horizon weren't the hurricane coming. It was budget season, and it hit us with a flurry, probably more so than the hurricane," he waxed.

Daugherty explained that he supported Hansell's veto because it includes $3.5 million in cuts to non-personnel expenditures. This will still guarantee a $44 reduction to each taxpayer, as was contained in the budget amendment approved by five Commissioners as well as the original budget proposed by Hansell.

Fellow Republican Brad Osborne, who chairs the Board, agreed that the $3.5 million in non-personnel cuts "begins the process of closing the structural imbalance between revenue and expenses in a sustainable way."

Democrat Dan McCarthy, like Dr. Dougherty, also referred to the recent storm. "When you have catastrophes like this, people want government," he stated. "It does have a valid role to play in our society." He complained that the $5 million jobs cut would rob Lehigh County residents of the very people needed to react to crises like Hurricane Sandy. Fellow Democrat David Jones called the indiscriminate jobs cut too much of a "blunt approach."

Commissioners are scheduled to vote on overriding the veto at their November 14 meeting.

The Commissioners who support the $5 million jobs cut are Vic Mazziotti, Scott Ott, Michael Schware, Tom Creighton and Lisa Scheller. Executive Hansell claimed that only Creighton honored his multiple requests for a meeting, although this was disputed by other Commissioners who complained they were not invited to the news conference.

Osborne: Cunningham Successor Process Will Be Open

We all know that Lehigh County Exec Don Cunningham is stepping down to take over the reins at the beleaguered Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. (LVEDC). His successor, who must be a Democrat, will be appointed by Commissioners. If they're unable to get five votes for someone, the pick goes to the judges.

Board Chair Brad Osborne will address this process at a news conference on Friday afternoon. He pledges a "transparent and cooperative effort in achieving a seamless transition of government."

Right now, I'd have to say the odds on favorite is Dan McCarthy.

Osborne Snatches Victory From Jaws of Defeat

Although the elections office still shows Brad Osborne finishing 5th in the Lehigh County Commissioner race with 6,024 votes, both Osborne and 4th place finisher David Najarian have agreed that Osborne came out on top. Najarian reputedly called Brad to congratulate him and wish him success in the General Election.

In a written statement, Osborne thanked everyone.

“I am pleased with the outcome of my campaign for County Commissioner. I chose to run as an individual and on my record of success as a South Whitehall Township Commissioner and business professional. I decry the negative tone that became dominant in this primary; this position is one of public service, not politics. I look forward to spending the next 5 ½ months sharing my positive message with the rest of the County.”

“If elected as Commissioner, I will immerse myself in the services the county provides and look for ways to increase efficiency. This is the best way to ensure our tax dollars are spent effectively and to avoid painful tax increases. I plan on being an active participant in budget talks and will make sure to watch how our tax dollars are being spent each and every day.”

“I would like to thank everyone who supported me throughout my campaign. I would also like to thank the volunteers who withstood 13 hours of rain on Election Day to share information about me. Finally, I would like to thank my wife Jan who has been incredibly supportive of me during this whole process.”

LC GOP's Brad Osborne:Can't We All Just Get Along?

He's President of South Whitehall Township's Board of Commissioners, but still likes pancakes. That's one thing I learned during breakfast with Brad Osborne yesterday. Brad is a Republican candidate for Lehigh County Commissioner, and wanted to introduce himself to you.

Brad has been attending County meetings for the past two years and is a member of the County's GPA. He's running because he perceives a need for a "more effective board" that can work with an administration.

As for this year's 16% tax hike, Brad points out that "everyone knew" it could have been justified in 2009. He finds it "regrettable" that everything came down to the "last night and one vote" and claims the simple reason for this is that too many Commissioners are unwilling to work with each other or the administration.

"Every one of those Commissioners is responsible for that 16% tax hike," Osborne claims, noting that the "undue influence of election-year politics" makes it difficult for politicians to make hard choices.

"Our County Executive and Board of Commissioners are fond of saying we have the lowest taxation rate in the County since 2003. While that's true, what they're not saying is that the tax rate today is 63% higher than it was in 2002. It was 7.31 mils in 2002, and it's 11.9 mils today." Osborne is employed as a plant manger at GEO Specialty Chemicals and claims that, if his company experienced increases like that, they'd be out of business.

As a Commissioner, Brad would attempt to identify "areas of opportunity for efficiency and productivity gains."

A chemical engineer, Osborne indicated that party affiliation should be irrelevant at this level, and the focus should be on public service.

Osborne is running without the blessings of party boss Wayne Woodman or his plank, the Gang of Four. Woodman never offered to circulate petitions on Brad's behalf. He's also running without Dean Browning's blessing, but independently, and with his own committee.

Did he sign an affidavit like Scott Ott and Lisa Scheller? "I did not sign an affidavit for all the reasons it says on there. I intend to form a committee and intend to raise and spend more than $250. This is my first opportunity to make a connection with the voters. I don't know their [Ott, Scheller] circumstances, but for me, I could not sign that affidavit."

Does he support Bi-County health as currently planned? No.

Does he support a regional crime center? Yes.

Will he support a tax hike next year? No.

Why is he skinny while I'm fat? (Tony Iannelli bumped into me at the diner and made me ask that question).

Osborne's web age should be operational this week.

Brad Osborne Will Formally Announce Comm'r Candidacy This Saturday

I'm unable to attend because I'll be watching a knee-high basketball championship game on Saturday, but hey, there's free food! Who can say no to that?
Brad Osborne Formal Announcement

S Whitehall Patch: Broad Osborne Running For Lehigh County Comm'r

This latest announcement comes from Mary Ellen Alu at S. Whitehall Patch. I will have a post about the latest developments in the LC Commr's race for four at-large seats in an hour or two.

If you'd like to sound off about Brad, you can do it at Patch or my "Lehigh County races" page, which is at my left sidebar.