Scott Ott Resigns From Lehigh's Board of Comm'rs

At this time last year, Scott Ott was running for Lehigh County Executive. Now, he's resigning his seat on the Board of Commissioners to move to Texas. His wife has been offered a job there, working for the children's ministry in a church.

Ott will have left Lehigh County without fulfilling any of the promises he made when he first ran for Commissioner. He promised to roll back the 16% tax hike he so bitterly opposed. That has not happened. He promised to reduce actual spending, but it's gone up under budgets that he helped fashion.

Ott never has been able to stay in any one place for very long. Even in Lehigh County, he's lived at at least three different homes during his short stay here. So it's no surprise to see him go.

But as he leaves, he heaps a mountain of praise on Lisa Scheller, tought by many to be the next GOP Executive candidate in Lehigh County.

"During my time on the Board, perhaps my greatest honor was nominating Lisa Scheller as chair. She’s a leader who understands organizational structure, budgets, labor negotiations and how to craft sound policy.”

Ott forgets to mention that it is Scheller's dough that funded his runs for office.

I think tofay is Tom Muller's birthday.

Scott "Pinocchio" Ott

Lehigh County Comm'r and two time County Exec wannabe Scott Ott has started off 2014 by doing what he does best - playing Pinocchio. At a news conference in Harrisburg last week, Ott announced that Lehigh County does not collect union dues for its workforce because it's a home rule county. His remarks are complete bullshit. He's incredibly misinformed for an incumbent Commissioner who thinks he should be running the County, ior is playing word games as pols and preachers like to do.  

Ott was one of a chorus of conservatives who thinks government should be barred from deducting union dues, especially when it includes political contributions. He spoke in support of a house bill to that effect, proposed by Lancaster County State Rep. Bryan Cutler.

Locally, that bill has the support of State Representatives Joe Emrick, Gary Day and Ryan MacKenzie. We could argue all day about the relative merits of this legislation. But in his report of this event, Pennsylvania Legislative Service's Jason Gottesman writes,

Scott Ott, Lehigh County Commissioner, said the legislation stops the Commonwealth from picking the pocket of an individual and directing that money to a labor union. He stated the measure puts a layer of defense around an elected official by disallowing honest work to be viewed in the light of impropriety. “It is a dynamic that has led to sometimes baseless accusations,” he said and argued allowing the voluntary contribution allows for more sovereignty over property and removes the shadow of impropriety from elected officials. He said Lehigh County, as a home rule county, has chosen to not collect dues on behalf of third parties. He encouraged the governor to actively and publicly work to ensure the bill, which he said he would sign, actually gets to his desk.

(Emphasis added).

This is completely untrue.

In the only union contract approved since Ott became a Commissioner, which was for Deputy Sheriffs, the contract expressly requires the County to withhold dues and remit them to the union.

True, Lehigh County Commissioners recently adopted a resolution calling on Executive Tom Muller to remove automatic dues deductions in upcoming negotiations, but it's nonbinding.

It has about as much validity as a resolution banning snowstorms for the rest of the Winter.

Ott has a growing list of misstatements.

- In 2013, while running for Exec, he bragged that he "cut spending" right after voting to approving a budget that both increased spending to the County's highest level ever.

- In 2012, he jammed a reassessment against the recommendation of the Executive, which increased county and school taxes on ten of thousands of mostly low-income residents despite a promise that he never would increase anyone's taxes by a single dime.

- In 2011, he told voters he had a specific plan to "roll back" the 16% tax increase. although that hasn't happened and no such plan ever existed.

In his most recent Exec race, Ott claimed that everything he needed know to do the job he learned as a school bus driver. Too bad that din't include telling the truth.

Ott blames Loss on Himself

Failed Executive candidate Scott Ott has taken the blame for his loss. "[T]here is one person who I know is responsible for my loss in Tuesday's election. His name is Scott Ott." I agree completely.

Scott Ott, along with Wayne Woodman, cost his party and its supporters about $300,000 in his primary and general election contests. If his party had gone with Main Street Republican Dean Browning instead of a tea party nut, it would have prevailed in the general election.

Just as Callahan never really reached out to his primary foes, Ott never reached out to Browning and continued to treat him as the enemy. This continued even after Browning contributed to Ott's campaign and financially supported the man who beat him.

Lehigh County Voters Say No to Extremism

Tom Muller's wife, MJ, can finally sleep. 

Though I was off the mark in Northampton County, I hit a bull's eye in Lehigh. That's good, not for me, not even for Executive-elect Tom Muller, but for the people of Lehigh County. Their vote was a vote against the extremism represented by Scott Ott and his so-called reform team. In fact, one of them, Mike Schware, went down in flames, too. How did this happen?

1) Turnout. - In contrast to Northampton County, Muller campaign manager Mike Fleck took no chances on turnout. He knew that he had to do what he could to drive out turnout in heavily Democrat West Bethlehem and Allentown, and concentrated resources on getting out the vote. It worked. It's too bad that effort was not made in the rest of Bethlehem. Ott's team made no effort to drive the turnout among tea party voters in Lowhill, Lynn and North Whitehall Townships.

2) Real Differences. - Scott Ott's divisive approach to governance includes spurning federal grants to benefit low-income communities. He actually argued against accepting a grant for Meals on Wheels. He promised voters he would cut spending, then increased it. He claimed that a 16% tax hike two years ago was irresponsible, but slipped in a 3.4% tax hike in next year's budget. Some voters are angry at Ott over the reassessment. He refused to speak to the media. He alienated voters at a NAACP debate.  Muller, who has never run for office and was himself a Republican, was so appalled by Ott's brinksmanship that he switched parties and ran himself.

Though 100% of the votes are in, and Muller has a 1,500 vote lead, Ott  only conceded just a few minutes ago. This is the kind of pig-headedness that makes Ott look silly.

Kinda' like Scrappleface.

3) The Wes Barrett Factor. - Emmaus Council member Wes Barrett was so upset by proposed CDBG cuts that he decided to take on Mike Schware, an appointed Commissioner who never actually won an election. Barrett nearly defeated Schware in an area that should have gone to Ott.

4) County Party GOTV. - In addition to Mike Fleck managing Muller's campaign, he could also county on the partyto put on the best ground game they've ever had in a county race. That's thanks to people like Bar Johnston, who was everywhere on the southern end of the County. GOP party boss Wayne Woodman did a radio interview ... in Pittsburgh.

5) Republican Dissatisfaction with Ott.- In Lower Milford today, Republicans in line at the polls began arguing with each other. The tea party types may like Ott, but more mainstream Republicans are turned off by his approach. Their voices were finally heard.

Though Lehigh is much more conservative than Northampton County, they've elected a Democrat while Northampton picked a Republican.

Congrats to Tom Muller, who refers to me as the pseudo press. I'm not sure what Ott calls me, and don't really care.

Ott's "Reform" Plan For Hungry Seniors

"Have they no family? Have they no church connections, no neighbors that love them?" - Scott Ott, Lehigh County Board of Commissioners Meeting, 7/11/12.

His reform must be Soylent Green.

Muller Has the Momentum to Win

Tom Muller

Tuesday's race between Scott Ott and Tom Muller in Lehigh County is perhaps the most important local race I've ever seen. I believe it's a battle between those who think government can help and those who think it only hurts. Some of us have forgotten what happens when government is infested with people who want the free market to decide everything. I'd hate to see history repeat itself. We've already tried Herbert Hoover's brand of government. But let me tell you about this race.

As most of you know, I'm a bottom-feeding blogger. I have spies everywhere, hiding in closets and going through garbage. Sometimes they eat it.

As a result of my illicit activity, I know that Lehigh County Republicans did a poll in early September. At that time, Exec candidate Scott Ott had an 8-point lead. But that was before the government shutdown, which was caused by people who think exactly like him. That was before Tom Muller, who is not a politician, started making his own voice heard. That was before Ott began lying in campaign literature about cutting spending that actually increased, something that both I and The Morning Call have noted. This was before Ott refused to respond to Morning Call or Patch questions, although he had time to appear with right wing radio host Bobby Gunther Walsh. This was before many Allentonians felt that Ott insulted them at a NAACP debate.

Net result?

According to an unscientific sampling, it's now a dead heat. The real poll is tomorrow. My prediction is that Muller will win, but only if he is able to nudge the Democrats to come out and vote.

Party boss Wayne Woodman and Ott have tried to portray Muller as the "business as usual" candidate, whatever that means. The Wizard of Ott, in contrast, has a "reform" team. It would more appropriately be called a counter-reform team. It's one we've seen during the Great Depression. At that time Herbert Hoover was QB, and refused to lift a finger for starving Americans. "Have they no family? Have they no church connections, no neighbors that love them?" President Hoover might have asked. But it is actually Scott Ott who said those words, when he advocated against a grant to feed our needy seniors.

This is reform?

This thinking has awoken a sleeping giant. Though Democrats outnumber Republicans in Lehigh County, they rarely turn out to vote in municipal races. But that has changed as Lehigh County Commissioners have threatened to stop block grants to help low-income communities.

In Emmaus, Commissioners threatened to send $209,000 in CDBG pass thru funds back to the federal government rather than use the money to make much-needed repairs to the borough triangle. That was enough to prompt Emmaus Council member Wes Barret to run. He'll win, too.

Lehigh County Democratic volunteer Bar Johnston tells me that, for the first time ever, the Democrats actually have their act together.

Pawlowski has his big knockers out, too. This weekend, over 200 of them knocked on doors, reminding Allentown residents to vote for King Edwin and Tom Muller on Tuesday.

Michael Donovan, who opposes Pawlowski, is making his last-minute push as well with a motivated volunteer base.

Will this increase turnout in Allentown? If it does, just a little, Muller wins.

In the meantime, GOP party boss Wayne Woodman is playing the very "business as usual" that he claims to despise. He is doing his best to suppress turnout. There are no Republicans running for City Council or Mayor. Two primarily Allentown Districts in the Commissioner races have been ceded to the Democrats. Woodman did discuss the Lehigh County races in a radio interview this weekend.

In Pittsburgh.

One Republican campaign manager, the smartest guy I know next to Shawn Millan, tells me Ott is in trouble. His campaign is pressuring party people to put up Ott signs without success. Instead of hundreds, he has about four people who will actually knock on doors for him. Many solid Republicans are turned off by Ott's shady financials, which funnels Woodman and Scheller money through a PAC in Harrisburg.

They've already had to have Charlie Dent endorse Ott twice.

Ott nearly beat Don Cunningham four years ago, but nobody really knew Scrappleface and were voting Republican to register disdain for Obamacare. Now, all they know about Ott is that he was once president of an elementary school PTA, and that he pushed hard for reassessment.

Don Cunningham warned that older people in older homes in the boroughs could be hurt by moving so quickly, but was ignored by those who know better. And guess what? These older people on fixed incomes were hurt. This issue has come up in some of the school board races.

Ott sponsored this reassessment.

At every opportunity, Ott and his so-called reform team have voted against seniors, low-income residents and county workers in an attempt to restore Herbert Hoover's vision.. I believe Lehigh County voters have finally seen through the nonsense. Barret will win over Mike Schware. Muller will win with just a small spike in Democratic turnout. Tom Creighton may survive, although Bill Leiner is running hard.

Donchez, Reynolds Both Support Muller

Though the Bethlehem Mayoral race between Bob Donchez and J. Willie Reynolds grew contentious, they both agreed to appear on a Tom Muller mailer in support of his candidacy for lehigh County Executive. "It was an easy decision for me," said Reynolds, who teaches in Allentown. "Lets hope people show up for Tom on Tuesday!"

Crosslis' Deal With Wizard of Ott?

I am informed that Matt Croslis, who was appointed Lehigh County Exec by the Scott Ott block of Commissioners, has made a deal. In return for his endorsement, he's been promised the job of Solicitor, a $71,085 part-time gig. I have not confirmed this with the Wizard of Ott, who is hiding behind the curtains and demonstrating his transparency by refusing to speak with either Morning Call or Patch. This is a great example of open government for one and all!

Beware of the Ott!

Republican Dollars Say Ott Otter Quit

I meant to get to this a few days ago, but suggest you take a look at Tom Muller's campaign finance reports. Sure, you're going to find a lot of money coming in from the usual cast of lawyers, engineers and businesses who obviously want something. But you're going to find something else, too. A lot of Republican support.

Scott Ott's pre-election report includes 59 individual donors, every man jack of them a Republican, too. Muller's report is much different. There are nearly twice as many individual contributors. And Muller's supporters are much more bipartisan than those in the Cult of Ott. Form conservative Elmer Gates to liberal Dan McCarthy, they choose Muller over the politics of division.

According to The Morning Call, 60 of Muller's individual contributors are Republicans, a sign that many are disgusted by the governing they've seen from Team Ott, which seems very much like the very brinksmanship we condemn in Washington.  

Is Ott Muller Race in Dead Heat?

One of my many spies, and they're everywhere, sent me this report from the Lehigh County campaign trail.

The last few weeks I am feeling a swing happening in Lehigh county. The feel is that Wes Barrett is really strong and has the resources, Muller came into his own and is actually a good campaigner and Creighton is wounded. The Rs got lazy this summer and didn't expect the Ds to try too hard. We do have a history of poor fundraising and field efforts. Aside from Woodman, the Rs did a terrible job fundraising. They have knocked on doors but their pool of resources is not deep enough to run a campaign where the Ds have raised money.

I am told that Fleck has this really non scientific polling methodology that is actually decent in predicting outcomes. He has a credible volunteer call likely voters (voted in last two municipal elections) and simply asks how they will vote. Last week, it was a 49-49 tie. Fleck did the same thing for NorCo in the Exec primary and it was spot on.

From what I understand, about 1,800 people were called, including 15% more Republicans than Democrats. This is because Democrats have a poor turn out in these off year elections. So if Fleck can increase turnout just one or two points, Muller wins.

Party boss Wayne Woodman figured this out months ago. It's why no Republican is running for Allentown City Council or Mayor. It's why nobody challenged Geoff Brace or Dave Jones in Allentown. He is willing to sacrifice Allentown on the altar of Ott.

But then Michael Donovan decided to run for Mayor as an Independent. And Pawlowski decided to run for Governor. In order to be a viable candidate for Governor, he needs a convincing victory in Allentown, and has to work hard to get out the vote against Donovan.

And, of course, most people are disgusted by extremist Republicans in the U.S. House and have a habit of taking that out on Republicans in local races. Ott happens to be one of those extremists himself.

Ott Betrays Judge McGinley For 30 Pieces of Silver

Ott with NC right-winger Hayden Phillips

Just as Judas betrayed Jesus, Commissioner Scott Ott betrayed President Judge Carol McGinley earlier this month for 30 pieces of silver. At least he didn't kiss her first. This betrayal not only hurt Judge McGinley, but could end up costing Lehigh County quite a bit of money. It might even get someone hurt. Or worse. But Ott is willing to risk someone else getting hurt to keep his campaign war chest filled. Let me fill you in.

Lehigh County Comm'r Lisa Scheller proposed slashing the judicial budget by about $146,000. "It's not directed at employees," she disingenuously explained, but it certainly was. It eliminated the funding for four tipstaffs.

Let me start by telling you about tipstaffs. Charlie Dent's mom was one, incidentally. Juries loved her. As one judge recently explained to me, it takes a special person. So the best tipstaffs are full-timers who are paid low wages but have to be there when the judge is there. Part-timers don't work because most jury trials are settled at the last minute, leading a person to schedule himself at the courthouse for nothing.

Why are they needed? According to what President Judge Carol McGinley told Commissioners, they make judges more productive. "My attention needs to be focused entirely on the litigants and the case in front of me," she explained. "Every time I'm interrupted by a crying baby, somebody who looks lost, somebody who can't speak English and needs interpretation services, these things all slow my productivity and actually interrupt the rights of the litigants in front of me to give them my full attention."

The persons who prevent mistrials, which can cost a County between $100,000 and $500,000, are the tipstaffs. Judge McGinley noted that if a Protection from Abuse (PFA) case is dismissed because some battered woman is unknowingly sitting in the wrong courtroom and there's no tipstaff to direct her where to go, that woman is at risk and could be hurt.

Several years ago, the judges made a commitment to work with less, but Judge McGinley told Commissioners that experiment is failing. Thy are needed most urgently during jury trials and when there are long lists.

By their nature, jury trials are terribly inefficient. Ask any juror. You can't get around it. But that inefficient process, which consists of long periods of time in which judges, litigants and tipstaffs sit on their hands, is the cornerstone to our American system of justice. It's embedded in the Constitution that tea partiers claim to embrace. And these older men and women, just like the older men and woman at polling precincts, preserve our democracy.

Before there's a jury trial, there are long lists in which 50 to 100 people can be jammed into a courtroom and adjoining hallways at the same time. A battered woman and the man who beat her. Witnesses and the gang members who would like them to shut up. Most of the courtrooms are simply too small to hold everyone. Tipstaffs identify parties and lawyers in a case. They separate people. They prioritize cases and get them before a judge. They smell out trouble and alert deputies. This requires two people at a minimum. One deals with the public while the other manages the actual courtroom proceedings for the judge.

As society has changed, things have become worse for the courts. Where do you think the dregs of society end up? Did you know most of them have no lawyers? They are also the first recourse for many people who really need help from our judicial system.

Judge McGinley explained all this, and more, to Commissioners. DA Jim Martin, who has practiced law for 40 years, had her back.

Commissioner Scott Ott seemed to not only buy into the argument, but suggested that it might be necessary to increase staffing.

"That scenario you just painted is a frightful one. People could get hurt. The County could get hit with hundreds of thousands of dollars of additional expenses. Perfectly good cases could get thrown out. ... If that's the situation and that's a legitimate and clear and present danger, wouldn't it be irresponsible to not fully staff those other courtrooms?

He told Judge McGinley,  "What you said was pretty scary stuff. Yet we don't seem to be taking the action. I know we're pinching every penny twice and there's no more money available everywhere. But it would seem to me that the costs by what you said would be far outweighed by the benefits of staffing these other courtrooms, so I guess I'm wondering how is it tolerable for us to allow that low staffing level, but it's intolerable for us to do it in another courtroom?

McGinley: "Comm'r Ott, if you're suggesting that because we haven't asked for those three back, that my objections to removing four more are not legitimate, I disagree with the proposition.

Ott: "No, that's not what I'm suggesting. I'm seriously concerned. What you just described sounds like another penny wise, pound foolish thing where we're going to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars, have court cases thrown out, and have people potentially be injured because we don't staff appropriately. If that's legitimate, and you say it is, then we've got a different situation on our hands here than I was previously aware. By the way, not until tonight had I heard that this experiment is failing.

But when it was time to vote on Scheller's motion to cut funding, Ott went along with his so-called reform team and against his own arguments.

Why?

30 pieces of silver. His most recent campaign finance report reveals that GOP party boss Wayne Woodman and his wife Lisa Scheller, just contributed $30,000 to Ott's campaign. This is the same Lisa Scheller who proposed eliminating this funding for the judges. Though Ott claimed that it was "irresponsible" not to have those tipstaffs, he had to listen to his paymaster instead of doing what was right.

Ott actually got more than 30 pieces of silver. He reports $46,480 from the My Lehigh County PAC that GOP party boss Wayne Woodman and Lisa Scheller control. That's her money.

That night, Comm'r Brad Osborne said, "I'd hate to make a decision that is not based out of knowledge, and have something bad come out of it."

But Ott is willing to take that risk for the right amount of money.

Following Scott Ott's Money Train

One advantage Lehigh County has over Northampton is that campaign finance reports appear online almost immediately, making it easy to follow the money. This attempt at transparency was Dean Browning's idea. Republican voters rewarded his good government by booting him from office. But thanks to that transparency, we can all see the finance report just filed by the person primarily responsible for Browning's ouster - Scott Ott. It's not a pretty picture.

Ott wants voters to give him control over Lehigh County's $360 million budget. But a review of Ott's finances reveals four disturbing things about the $177,238 total he's raised.

1) Lack of Transparency. - Ott reports $46,480 from the My Lehigh County PAC that he and GOP party boss Wayne Woodman control. This PAC, located in Harrisburg, has only one 2013 report on file. That report shows less than $18,000 in donations available to flip to Ott. So clearly, there have been donations to the PAC since the last report. But they aren't online. The reason for this is that, in spite of all of Ott's preaching about transparency, he does not use the online feature to file the reports for this PAC. Instead, he sends in a paper version knowing that the election will be over before it is processed and posted.

2) Is it Scott Ott or Wayne Woodman? - $30,000 of Ott's money comes from party boss Wayne Woodman and his wife, Commissioner Lisa Scheller. Another $15,000 comes from Bob Asher's PA Future Fund. This is the quid pro quo to get Woodman to grit his teeth and support Corbett next year. Scheller's money is funneled to Ott through the PAC to make it difficult to follow. Basically, just two people are responsible for Ott's warchest, making me question who really will be calling the shots in Lehigh County.

3) Ott violates state campaign finance laws. -  The Lehigh Valley Association of Realtors have reported two in-kind donations for Ott. One is for a $3,050 poll conducted on October 16. The other is a October 24 mailer for $4,225.

Ott failed to include the October 16 contribution in his report, even though it is supposed to include all contributions through October 21. He also failed to make a 24-hour report for the $4,225 contribution made on October 24.

If Ott is unable to account properly for campaign finance, how can he account for a $360 million budget?

4) The Abe Atiyeh Connection. - Controversial developer Abe Atiyeh is backing Ott, and gave him $1,000 on October 22. Atiyeh has alienated people in West Bethlehem, located in Lehigh County, over his propensity to build rehabs like 7-11s.  I doubt West Bethlehem voters will be pleased to learn that Ott has Atiyeh's support.

Ott Becomes Forgetful in Radio Interview

Ott on the campaign trail

When Lehigh County Comm'r Scott Ott and his so-called Reform Team ran Dean Browning out of town on a rail, two years ago, Ott promised that he and his minions would (1) eliminate an "unnecessary" 16% tax increase; (2) cut spending, not just slow the growth; (3) balance the budget; and (4) stop drawing down the county's reserves. Local tea party members, who were swarming over Commissioners at the time, just loved the message. After all, who likes anyone who says he must raise taxes? But do voters like liars? It is now apparent that Ott not only misled the electorate, but continues to do so.

Though in control of a five-person majority of like-minded people on a Board with seven Republicans, Ott has broken every one of the promises he made when he ran for office two years ago. But this is one Sunday School teacher who still thinks you're stupid enough to believe him, and is campaigning on the very promises he already has broken.

In robo-calls and campaign ads, he still perpetuates the myth that he's a fiscal conservative who really has reduced spending and cut taxes

His record is quite the opposite. He knows this. I've been telling you this from my perch atop the Indian Tower in Nazareth for the past two weeks. He's failed to roll back the 16% tax hike he condemned. The Budget he voted for is a $2.1 spending increase over last year, for a whopping $111 million. That's the most money that Lehigh County has ever spent in a single year. He increased the deficit from $7.3 million to $7.7 million, leaving the County's reserves at a bare $17 million. Finally, he supported a 3.4% tax hike over what Lehigh County residents paid last year.

Amazingly, this guy is the favorite.

His campaign literature and robocalls falsely claim he has cut taxes and reduced spending. But he screwed up last week. Not only did he do horribly in a debate at Allentown's NAAC. He also botched an interview with tea party friendly radio host Bobby Gunther Walsh. He suddenly grew forgetful when asked about whether he has really cut spending.

Gunther: "Now here's the problem according to this report. You pass the Budget, you cut some spending? Is that what it does? You said it cut spending.

Ott: "It cuts - I gotta' look at the final numbers because we were still batting around various amendments - but my understanding is I think the newspaper report is somewhere in the neighborhood of two and a half million was cut from the proposal.

Gunther: "Wait, is that two and half million from the proposal or two and a half million reduction in spending?

Ott: "Um, I'll have to look at that because I'm -

Guther: "Wait, wait, wait, woah, woah, woah. Wait, woah. So you are Nancy Pelosi? You voted on it but you don't know what's in it?

Ott: "Gunther. I will openly acknowledge that I think it's probably the case that it's a cut from the proposal, not a cut from the actual year to year. Last year, we did a year-to-year spending cut. This year they came to us with a catastrophe and basically said., 'Look, we've got a major problem that cost us an extra $3.8 million.' They tried to dip $10 million out of the stabilization fund.We reduced that dip down to $7.5 million. The County is still deficit spending and we haven't dealt with the fundamentals that drive that yet. The new Executive is really going to have to deal with it, or we're gonna' face a 2015 tax hike, which is not a possibility with me.

Gunther: "So you passed a budget.I gotta' tell you, that's kinda' a disappointing answer. You voted and passed something but you're not sure what you voted for, so that's a bit -

Ott: "- No. Guther, it's not that I'm not sure what i voted for. We had 13 amendments on an 800-page budget, and i know that was in the ballpark of $2.5 million. But not all the amendments in the initial amendments that were proposed got passed, so if you like, I can detail the ones that did, but I assume you probably don't have enough time for that.

Gunther: "No, it's not that. You don't know whether it's a cut in spending or a cut in the proposal. You think it's a cut in the proposal so we have not cut spending with this budget.

Ott: "I don't know the answer to that offhand -

Gunther: "-That's what I'm saying. That's the part that's the disappointing answer.

If I know that Ott's budget increases spending to Lehigh County's highest level ever, so does he. It seems that even Bobby Gunther Walsh considers Ott's answers "disappointing."

Ott Goes For the Bigot Vote at NAACP Debate

Remember those photos of a stunned Will Smith family as Miley Cyrus began twerking during the VMA awards? Well, that was how a forty-person audience reacted last night to Scott Ott's performance at Allentown NAACP County Exec debate. All he needed to make the night complete was a Confederate Flag. He may have even had one in his truck at the St. James AME Zion Church, buried under his guitar. After watching Ott and opponent Tom Muller answer questions, I think I can safely say that these are forty votes that Scott Ott won't get.  What he did get, after it was over, was a tongue lashing from one angry woman, as two others had her back.

I was a little late getting there because I was visiting my brother in the hospital. He had grown suddenly ill after reading this blog, and doctors are flipping coins over whether he'll last the week. So I missed Ott's initial remarks. But several audience members made sure that I heard about it. Ott reportedly told this crowd of Allentonians, in Allentown, that the only time he gets to see one of them is when they're coming up through the court system.

Not terribly bright.

Tom Muller

What I did hear him say, at one point, is that he's been advised that Latinos all quit school at age 15 to look for jobs. ... And that it makes no sense to teach prison inmates how to cook or perform low-paying jobs because they make too much money selling drugs. ... And that Republicans had advised him not to come to Allentown. ... And that Obamacare is no good.

Not terribly bright.

That might play well on WAEB or at your local KKK, but did not go over well before the NAACP. Ott's one gift is his ability to communicate, so he must have had an off night.

The largely African American audience, to their credit, remained polite.

But after it was over, I got an earful myself. Fran Eddings, CEO of the PA STEAM project at Cedar Crest College, told me she wanted to remain positive, but was clearly upset by Ott. "That was an affront to me as an African American person," she said. "The people of Allentown are not as inept as some may think they are."

Ott was also asked to explain abstaining from voting for a Meals on Wheels grant for needy Lehigh County seniors. At the time he abstained, he said that Lehigh Commissioners are "the last line of defense for the taxpayer." He complained that the "Chinese communist government is fronting us money to feed 85 year old women in Lehigh County." So it's up to patriots like him to "exercise some restraint that the federal government seems incapable of exercising."

Scott Ott

When I questioned Ott about his remarks, he never responded to me. But he had no choice last night.  He explained that he has "concerns that we couldn't feed seniors in our own community" and doesn't want to be dependent on the federal government because that well may some day go dry.

Tom Muller, who was driven to run for executive after being subjected to this kind of tea party pandering, objected that Ott's so-called reform team has a nasty habit of "talking about national problems and the national debt," calling it a "bunch of nonsense" on the local level.

What would he do?

"Yes, we definitely will feed that 85 year old woman in Allentown.

"I would do it every time."

When asked about the Veterans Mentoring Program in Lehigh County, Ott knew little about it. Muller had to explain that it was founded in 2011 to address issues faced by a growing number of veterans who get involved in the criminal justice system. It's a program championed by DA Jim Martin, one of Ott's favorite targets at budget time.

Though he had no idea what the program was, Ott made sure the audience knew that his grandfather stormed the beach at Normandy, fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was ready to go to Japan.

He apparently thinks that veteran status is inherited.

Asked about their ability to play nice with others, Muller pointed out that, under former Executive Don Cunningham, he worked well with seven members of the Republican party. He credited Commissioners who actually read the material prepared for each meeting, and who took the time to call and discuss things. That stopped when the Ott block assumed power.

Ott told the audience not to "mistake the due process and deliberative part of our meetings for divisiveness." He then claimed that David Jones is his favorite Commissioner, in an effort to establish at least some connection with people he had already lost.

Ott's favorite Commissioner was not at the debate. But Brad Osborne, whom Ott voted to dump as Chairman, was there. So were three Ott supporters, planted strategically in the audience with iPads. These political operatives, paid or unpaid, filmed Muller every time he spoke, hoping to catch him in a goof.

When the candidates closed, Ott said he represents a different approach to government. It's one we've seen recently in Washington. He did not mention his work as a Wal Mart greeter or the jobs he quit along the way. Muller reminded the crowd that he actually has a background and some heavy duty experience, including managing Lehigh County for the past 8 years under three different Executives.

He told the crowd that if they support him, the election is November 5. If they support Ott, it's on November 12.

I think everyone in that room, save for Ott and his political operatives, will be voting on November 5.

Shhh! Ott Votes For 3.4% Tax Hike

"The roughly $360 million budget doesn't raise the tax rate, but taxpayers will see a higher tax bill next year. That's because the past two county budgets included tax rebates, and the 2014 budget does not."

I told you this earlier this week, and now The Morning Call is telling you. The candidate who ran Dean Browning out of office over a 16% tax hike, who promised to roll that back, who promised to give you tax cuts and cut spending, last night voted with his so-called reform team to raise taxes in Lehigh County. This budget also spends more than at any period in the County's history.

The net result of this is that every taxpayer in Lehigh County will see their tax bill go up next year by 3.4%.

Ironically, at the same time he was voting for this stealth tax hike, Scott Ott was sending out mailers citing the endorsement of "Citizens Against Higher Taxes".

Does Scott Ott Have Executive Qualifications?

Lehigh County Executive candidate Scott Ott is blowin' oil over a Tom Muller campaign ad that compares Muller's experience to Ott's. Muller is an accomplished Executive, while Ott was apparently a part-time school bus driver. Unlike Ott's campaign literature, which appears to be deceptive at best, the Muller ad is accurate.

My proof? Scott Ott. He's sent out a mass email entitled, "All I Really Needed to Know About Being County Executive I Learned as a Bus Driver, Camp Director and People Greeter." In it, he explains that we all start out low and learn valuable lessons along the way.

The problem, for Ott, is that he seems to have stayed there.

His camp director job, for example, is a position he held just four years ago, in a failed campaign against then Executive Don Cunningham. I understand that his salary there depended on how many "prayer buddies" he could recruit. He was kinda' like  an Amway for Christ.

One thing Ott fails to talk about is the still unopened Embassy Theatre in Lewistown. Just two years ago, he was taking credit for saving it. The truth is he left the place in shambles, and in a bad position financially.

Paul Fagley, President of Friends of the Embassy Theatre, tells me,

When I came on the board in the fall of 1992, Scott was already gone from the group, and things were falling apart. The original purchase deal with the local banks was that, although they had enough to purchase the theatre, they were given a 2-year demand mortgage of $35,000 to tie the group over (to pay the bills, so to speak) while it incorporated and raised funds to get the project moving. At the end of two years, the mortgage was to be paid off. However, there was no followup to the original appeal, and no significant funds had been raised. The new roof that was supposed to have been put on the building was only half completed, with only tarpaper on the other half, which caused more interior damage. When I took over as President in August of 1993, the ship was literally sinking. After rebuilding the board, and finishing the roof, it took a few years for the board to stabilize the finances of the project just to keep it afloat, then working with various agencies to do the necessary work to bring it back. We are now poised to begin the major work. The mortgage is still there, 20 years later, although we have paid it down to $25,000.

So do you want an accomplished Executive who understands how government works? Or would you prefer a person who couldn't pout a roof on a theatre and then blew town, leaving it with an unpaid mortgage?

Laughing at Ott Campaign Ads

Lehigh County Executive candidate Scott Ott likes to portray himself as a religious man. He even teaches Sunday School. But like many who wear their religion on their sleeve, he seems to have trouble practicing what he preaches, particularly when it comes to that little "Thou shall not lie" commandment. Not being as well versed as some of you in the ways of the Lord, it could be that Jesus has an exception for campaign ads. But I am well versed in local government, and Scott Ott's literature is deceptive. He laughs at Obama. maybe he's laughing at you, too.

In his primary ads, Ott claims to have cut taxes by $3 million per year. Now he's saying he cut spending by $3.5 million. Is this true?

Yes and no.

Taxes were cut by $3 million. Ott actually wanted to cut $5 million. But in the process, he added $3 million to what was already a $7 million deficit. When he and his so-called reform team first ran for office, they insisted they would roll back the 16% tax hike. That translates to $21.5 million in tax reduction, and Ott has not come close.

Ott's claim to have cut spending by $3.5 million is false. Instead, he has presided over an increase in spending from $109.3 million in 2012 to $110.9 million in 2014. had he cut $3.5 million in spending, I would expect to see spending go down. It's gone the other way.

Ott did work to enact a $3.5 million reduction in a proposed budget. But that's not the same as cutting spending. He's still spending much more than the County was spending before he arrived on the scene.

In his primary ads, Ott claims to have saved residents $500,000 per year by stopping the Bi-County Health department. Now, he's claiming he saved $9 million. Is this true? 

Instead of calling it the Bi-County health department, he's now calling it a "new bureaucracy." That way he won't offend public health advocates. After all, nobody likes bureaucracy But is his claim true? Did he save $9 million or $500,000, as he contends?

No. he actually saved $1. Lehigh County's 2012 budget set aside just $1 as a place holder for the Bi- County Health Department. The actual cost is speculative.

Where's Ott's Promised 16% Tax Cut?

When Lehigh County Comm'r Scott Ott and his so-called Reform Team ran Dean Browning out of town on a rail, two years ago, Ott promised he would do the following:

1. Eliminate an "unnecessary" 16% tax increase.
2. Cut spending. He would not just slow the growth.
3. Balance the budget.
4. Stop drawing down the county's reserves.

Ott is in control of a five-person majority of like-minded people on a Board with seven Republicans. how has he fared?

1. He cut taxes less than 3% last year, far less than the 16% he promised. If it was "uneccessry" why didn't he propose that it be completely eliminated with the reduction he called for last year? And why no further reduction this year?

2. Spending has actually increased. The 2014 budget that Team Ott has just reworked and amended, spends $2.1 million more than this year. It spends $1.6 million more than the budget before Ott came into office.

3. The deficit in the 2014 budget as amended by Ott is $7.7 million. That is up from $7.3 million for this year and up from $4.3 million in the supposedly irresponsible budget before Ott came into office.

4. The county's reserves are down to $17 million which is what Vic Mazziotti says is the bare minimum. That compares to $25 million when Ott came into office.

So two years ago Ott promised a number of specific items, none of which has delivered and now he wants to make the same promises to convince you to elect him County Executive? Based on what accomplishments? Other than threatening to starve 85 year old women and insulting President Judges, what has he really done?

Ott is Actually the Fiscally Irresponsible Candidate in LC

In a microcosm of what is going on nationally, Lehigh County's so-called reform Commissioners have appeared very much like the U.S. House, playing a game of brinksmanship. Leading the charge for them has been Scott Ott. Some of you think he's an intelligent, self-deprecating and thoughtful man. Others, including me, think he's a mean-spirited phony. It is thanks in large part to people like Ott, as well as our tea party driven Congressmen, that Republicans are leaving their party. Locally, I know a former Township Commissioner who recently changed sides. So has Tom Muller, Lehigh County's Director of Administration, and Democratic candidate for Lehigh County Exec. The Express Times has just endorsed Muller.

"We think Muller promises a more balanced, predictable path for the county," say the editors.

D'you think?

I first got to know Scott Ott when he ran for Executive against Don Cunningham, and nearly beat him. At that time, Americans were angry at Democrats for pushing once-in-a-generation legislation, Obamacare, with absolutely no attempt to build a consensus. Cunningham held on, but Democrats were swept out of office in Northampton County Council races.

Now, four years later, the situation is reversed. Americans are still angry, but this time it's at a small core group of tea party Republicans who would rather paralyze government and ruin what's left of our credit rating, than see Obamacare implemented.

In Lehigh County's case, Scott Ott and fellow Commissioners Michael Schware, Tom Creighton, Lida Scheller and Vic Mazziotti are no small rump group. They're the majority.

In 2012, Ott refused to vote for CDBG funding that, in part, would feed needy seniors through the Meals on Wheels program. Ott asked, "Have they no family? Have they no church connections, no neighbors that love them?" He was dismayed that the "Chinese communist government is fronting us money to feed 85 year old women in Lehigh County." He also objected that the "federal government is sending us money to do things that are of no national import."

In his world view, that 85 year old woman would starve before red-blooded Americans took one cent from the Commies.

Last week, he demeaned the president judge of Lehigh County, who explained that, in her opinion as a judge, tipstaffs are needed for reasons of judicial efficiency as well as safety. After sarcastically pretending to be very concerned and troubled by what she said, he voted against her, making a penny wise and pound foolish decision. .

That night, Commissioner Vic Mazziotti explained the dilemma facing Lehigh County next year. It spent $12 million more than it received. So it has had to dip into its rainy day fund to the tune of $10 million. "We are spending money out of our savings account, 40% of it," he noted. "We can't take $10 million out of the budget in 2014 and again in 2015.

He's right. It is, as he called it, an "unsustainable budget." But how did things get that way?

I think the answer is the Lehigh County Commissioners. Last year, they tried to enact a $5 million tax cut, and eventually settled for a $3 million cut. They did this without simultaneously enacting a permanent decrease in spending.

Let's look at Ott and his so-called reform team. When they ran Dean Browning out of office two years ago, they said they were the future of the local Republican party. After seeing the results since they have been in office I think they are resurrecting the past - specifically when Bush was president and Republicans controlled Congress. That's when the GOP lost its way fiscally by cutting taxes while simultaneously increasing spending and blowing up the deficit. Their actions were fiscally irresponsible, and are probably one of the big reasons why we went into recession.

That is exactly what Ott and his team have done in Lehigh County. They cut taxes, but by 2.9% instead of the 16% they promised). They also increased spending. It went from $109.3 million in the year before they took office to $110.9 million with the budget they just amended. In the process, they almost doubled the deficit. It went from $4.3 million the year before they took office to $7.7 million with the amended budget.

So I agree when Vic Mazziotti calls the current proposed budget "unsustainable", but he and team Ott seem to me to be a big part of that mess.

They have they failed to do what what they said they would do, i.e eliminate the 16% increase, cut spending and balance the budget. What they have done instead is make the "future of the party" look an awful lot like its fiscally irresponsible past.

At the same time, their disdain for government grants and other funding will discourage development in Lehigh County. A Scott Ott victory in Lehigh County will be terrible for Lehigh, but great for Northampton County economic development.

Ott is a bad candidate. He was bad when he ran against Cunningham, bad when he ran against Browning and is bad in his race against Muller.

A fically responsible Republican should not vote for Ott. A Democrat should not vote for Ott. And no 85 year old woman should vote for Ott.