Don Cunningham

Cunningham became a short-list candidate for the cabinet of Governor Ed Rendell. Initial discussions centered around the secretary position for the Department of Community and Economic Development. Cunningham said he had modeled his administration's economic development plan in part after the prototype Rendell used as mayor of Philadelphia.[12] In January 2003, it was announced Rendell had tapped Cunningham for the Department of General Services. Cunningham oversaw $4 billion of Pennsylvania's budget,[13] including his department's own budget of $141.6 million. Within his first month in the post, Rendell tasked him with reducing that budget by 10 percent.[1]

Cunningham oversaw the design and construction of the non-highway capital construction projects in Pennsylvania, as well as the state's minority and women-owned business contracting program and the Bureau of Commonwealth Media Services.[14] In addition to his secretary position, Cunningham served on the State Public School Building Authority, the Pennsylvania Higher Educational Facilities Authority, the Governor's Homeland Security Advisory Council, the PENNVEST board, the Capitol Preservation Committee, and the Agricultural Land Preservation Interagency Committee during his time in Rendell's administration.[14]

Starting in early 2005, Cunningham was courted by Lehigh Valley Democrats to run for executive of Lehigh County.[15][16] No Democrat had won the executive's office since the county's home rule charter went into effect in 1978,[15] and Lehigh County Democratic Committee Chairman Charles F. Smith Jr. called Cunningham the party's "dream candidate".[17] Cunningham announced his candidacy for the position in March, and formally resigned from the Rendell administration on April 8. He ran with no opposition in the Democratic primary,[18] clearing the way for a challenge against Republican Executive Jane R. Ervin, who was seeking a second four-year term.[15] During his campaign, Cunningham criticized Ervin for a 69 percent county tax increase in 2003, calling it "unconscionable" and declaring that a change in leadership was necessary.[18] Ervin responded aggressively to Cunningham's campaign, raising questions about his record in Bethlehem and Rendell's administration and defending her tax increase as the right thing to do for the county.[19] Cunningham defeated Ervin by 33,263 to 20,721, with 62 percent of the vote,[20] becoming the first Democrat ever elected to the executive post.[19] He had spent roughly $500,000 in the election.[21]

Several major development projects and corporate relocations came to fruition during Cunningham's tenure, including the Boston Beer Company establishing their largest brewery in Upper Macungie Township,[22] Olympus Corporation opening its headquarters in Upper Saucon Township;[23] Ocean Spray establishing manufacturing operation in Upper Macungie Township;[24] and Coca-Cola Park, the baseball stadium for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, opening in Allentown.[25] Cunningham also funded open space preservation,[26] negotiated contracts to stem rising health care costs,[27] and helped municipalities with higher crime rates hire more police officers.[28]

In 2007, Cunningham endorsed Hillary Clinton in her campaign for U.S. President. In April 2008, Cunningham was the top vote-getter in the 15th congressional district to serve as a delegate Hillary Clinton to the 2008 Democratic National Convention.[29][30] Cunningham announced as early as 2007 that he was considering a run for Pennsylvania governor in 2010.[31] However, in June 2009, he announced he would not seek the post due to family concerns and time restraint. Cunningham had raised about $725,000 for the possible campaign by that point.[32]

In 2009, Cunningham was challenged in his re-election campaign by Scott Ott,[26] a Republican political newcomer associated with the conservative Tea Party movement.[33] Ott accused Cunningham of avoiding a county tax increase only by depleting a tax relief fund established during Jane Ervin's administration, leaving the county in a position where future tax hikes would be necessary.[26] Cunningham accused Ott of using scare tactics in his campaign and said he lacked the experience to lead the county.[28] He also argued Republican county commissioners had actually increased spending.[34] Cunningham defeated Ott in the general election by a voter count of 21,063 to 20,201, capturing 51 percent of the vote to Ott's 49 percent.[35] In 2010, a 16.1 percent tax increase was proposed as part of the county budget, with Cunningham said was necessary due to difficult financial times, but would avoid the need to sell assets, deplete savings, impose massive layoffs, or reduce government services to the point that the problem would grow worse in subsequent years.[36] It was the first county tax increase since 2003. The budget was ultimately passed.[37] In 2011, Ott was elected to the county's board of commissioners, along with a slate of fellow conservatives who ran together on a ticket of reform, which heavily criticized the 16 percent county tax increase during their campaigns.[37][38]

Although the board had always been Republican-majority during Cunningham's tenure, he had a particularly difficult relationship with the commissioners after the 2011 election. Cunningham unsuccessfully attempted to veto a county-wide reassessment that commissioners approved, arguing it should have been delayed at least a year to allow time for the market to become less volatile.[39]

In May 2012, Cunningham accepted the position of president and CEO of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Council, resigning as Lehigh County executive with a year-and-a-half remaining in his second term.[40]