Updated Version - July 21, 2011 (see Editor’s Note below)
The chairman of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, Scott K. York, an Independent, told the Times-Mirror Sept. 14 he plans to run for re-election as chairman in November 2011.
“It has been a great privilege to serve the citizens of Loudoun County,” York said. “I will make my case. Hopefully, I will garner their support for another four years.”
When asked if he was certain to run again as an Independent candidate unaffiliated with either major party, York said, “At this point, I’m keeping all options open. I intend to continue to have a broad range of support from individuals who are Republicans, Democrats and Independents.”
York added that he will wait until the conclusion of this year’s national midterm elections to make a formal announcement. That is likely to come by year’s end or early next year, he said.
With the retirement announcements last week from Supervisors Susan Klimek Buckley (D-Sugarland Run) and Sally Kurtz (D-Catoctin), one overarching political question came even more into focus in recent days: Would York run again?
Worst kept secret?
Even before York confirmed his plans to the Times-Mirror this week, there were emerging signs of a nascent political re-election campaign in the making.
In late July, a website called leadership2011.org went live. Unknown to many, it was the online version of a soft launch for York’s campaign, allowing his effort to have a home somewhere online or offline. York’s message on the website’s homepage states, “I look forward to your support in my 2011 re-election campaign.”
More tellingly, York recently held a fundraiser at a corporate office in Lansdowne on Aug. 19, where funds were raised in increments of as much as $500 and $1,000.
The event was organized by Tom Julia, president of the American Composite Panel Association. County Treasurer and longtime officeholder Roger Zurn Jr. attended the event, and said, “It was quite clear from Scott’s speech that he would be running again.” About 60 people attended the York event.
Another source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the event was attended by a “number of chamber of commerce leaders, and members of the CEO Cabinet and Economic Development Commission.”
Julia, the event’s host, called the event “low-key,” and said it was a chance for York to “reconnect with supporters and the business community.” He added that the event was an “effort to set the marker down” for a re-election campaign. Neither he nor York would confirm the amount raised at the event.
The money chase
Other fundraisers will take place after November, said Julia, which he said would be York’s ongoing “opportunity to connect with his base in the community.”
Julia has held informal positions with all of York’s county campaigns, and expects to have a “senior advisor” role in the 2011 election, he said.
Recent campaign finance reports filed with the State Board of Elections show that York’s re-election committee “Friends of Scott York” is quickly raking in dollars.
The documents indicate that York has raised approximately $12,000 since July this year, but that’s just the total raised from large donations of $500, $1000 or more. Many more funds could have already been raised to date in smaller checks, but won’t be reported until January 2011.
York expressed confidence in his fundraising position, but declined to provide a total amount raised to date for his re-election.
According to those same campaign reports, recent high-profile contributors to York’s early 2011 efforts include: Sterling developer Bahman Batmanghelidj ($1,000); Fortessa CEO Scott Hamberger ($500); Belfort Furniture CEO Michael Huber ($1,000); Mark Koblos, CEO of KTA Group Inc. of Herndon ($2,500); Fardis Ettehat, owner of Tessa Construction, in Ashburn ($1,000); and Kitty Saylor, CEO of Rehau Inc. ($500). Dulles Motorcars Inc., of Leesburg also donated $1,000 to the York campaign, and Moore Cadillac and Hummer of Chantilly gave $500.
York’s third decade of service
Known for his booming voice and cool demeanor while presiding over board business meetings, York has become an iconic figure in the body politic of Loudoun County.
His public service began almost two decades ago, when he was appointed by Zurn, then a supervisor representing the Sterling District, as the Sterling representative on the Planning Commission from 1992-1995.
After Zurn left to run for county treasurer, York was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 1995 as a Republican from Sterling. He then successfully ran for the at-large chairman’s seat in 1999 as a Republican, taking out the incumbent GOP board chair, Dale Polen Myers, in a divisive primary battle.
Shortly after being re-elected chairman in 2003, York dropped his GOP affiliation and occupied the chairmanship as an Independent, the result of internecine GOP warfare as well as a testy power struggle with other GOP supervisors. York ran for re-election in 2007 and won, again as an Independent, besting Republican nominee Mike Feretti. No Democrat opposed York.
Earlier in his current term, there was palpable buzz in political circles that York might consider retiring after his long service to pursue other interests. In the past few months, according to sources, this line of thinking quickly changed.
It is unclear at this time who would oppose York for board chairman next year. No Republican or Democrat has declared an intention to oppose him at this time.
York remains a relatively popular and steady political figure in the county, and has drawn support across the political spectrum.
Despite a busy and, at times controversial policy agenda in the past two and a half years, York has managed to chart a steady course for an often fractious and mercurial governing body, one that is represented by divergent personalities and three partisan factions. This task was exacerbated by a declining economy that hit house assessments hard in the past few years, resulting in bruising and thankless budget battles.
“He has been politically astute,” said one longtime Loudoun political observer. “Scott’s been playing his politics pretty well here.”
Rise of the Indies
Since his realignment as an unaffiliated Independent in 2004, York has been a public supporter of both Republicans and Democrats at the county level.
Most notably, York supported the 2008 GOP presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain and then-Alaska Gov. and vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin. York gave a hearty speech in support of the Republican ticket at a boisterous rally at JR Festival Lakes in Leesburg in October that year.
All indications at this time point to York retaining his Independent status as he gears up for 2011, but that could change. Sources told the Times-Mirror that York’s August fundraiser was notable for the number of both Democrats and Republicans who attended.
Julia, York’s advisor, was vague about York’s political affiliation for 2011. Let’s see how things align,” he said. “That call has not been made yet. Scott is very comfortable as an Independent. He has certain allegiances with Republicans, and also with Democrats. But he doesn’t want to be captured by a party platform.”
Furthermore, according to Julia, York will be working to “identify candidates who would run with him next year, and run in support of positions he has taken and will be taking.”
Asked if this meant York would be compiling a slate of Independents to run for supervisor seats, Julia responded that “there is no effort at this point to develop a slate of Independent candidates.” Instead, he pointed out, York could choose to support any combination of Democrats, Republicans or unaffiliated candidates.
Primarily, Julia said, York would be “interested in a working majority on the board, five or six supervisors who think along his lines.”
Burton plans 2011 run
There is only one other Independent on the Board of Supervisors, Jim Burton of Blue Ridge.
On Sept. 14, Burton made his plans known to the Times-Mirror: “I’m planning to run again,” he said. “I have always said as long as I am enjoying this I will run. And I am enjoying it.”
When asked if he planned to retain his unaffiliated status as an Independent for his 2011 re-election campaign, Burton shot back “Oh, absolutely.”
As an at-large member of the Board of Supervisors, York would not be politically impacted by the upcoming redistricting battle that will likely change the boundaries of the other eight seats on the board to some degree.
Redistricting continues to be a wild card for many incumbents and challengers when it comes to declaring their political intentions for 2011. Burton, for example, clearly has the issue on his mind.
“It will be interesting to see what the new districts look like,” he said. “I expect a majority of [the] Blue Ridge [District] to remain as is.”
However, York, as an at-large member, faces no waiting game in making his intentions known, allowing him a head start on campaign planning and fundraising.
York, his wife, JoAnne, and their four children have been residents of Sterling for 23 years.
**** EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated on July 21, 2011 to correct erroneous information contained in the original version, which included the following statement: “But York also supported former Gov. Mark Warner, a Democrat, over former GOP Gov. Jim Gilmore in their 2008 race for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by veteran lawmaker John Warner.” York states unequivocally that he did not publicly or financially support Mr. Warner, or endorse him, in 2008. A further review of financial reports filed with the state elections bureau does not show any York contributions to Mr. Warner in 2008. The Times-Mirror regrets the error.
Reporter Crystal Owens contributed to this story.
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Burton is too old, unapproachable (unless you’re one of his benefactors), has a mean streak and is vengeful. He also suffers from paranoia (ask anyone in the govt building who has to deal with him). It is time for a new perspective from western Loudoun.
How many years have we been debating the “sign ordinance?”
More than 4 years? I think so. Why is it taking so long to do this? I agree that we have spent an inordinate amount of time on a relatively small issue—not to say it is not an important issue, because it is very important for businesses to have adequate signage..but it should not be the kind of issue that takes years to resolve.
anonymous - your ignorance of what the sign regulations are and do, and how they should possibly be changed, and how much more significant signage is and not just “a minor right
PEC Good ol’ boys, and your puppets who can’t think for themselves…GOODBYE! you have gone too far, and not cared one whit about the regular folk…
The person who said no cars no kids no cows was right.
Should have said no goats in western loudoun too, because we had that ridiculous law that goats were not allowed unless you had at least 5 acres… have all the barking dogs you want, but no sweet goats, or lambs, or chickens, or gardens? Just pay taxes on the whole 5 acres, while the good ol’ boys who control Burton get their big tax breaks…
Burton wants gridlock—to discourage commuting, and to punish anyone who dared to buy a new home in western Loduoun.. If they facilitate commuting, oh no, people might want to move here.. Burton and his backers want to bankrupt us—so no one will want to live here, and they can have it all to themselves… they want everyone elses’ taxes to go sky high (they get agricultural or open space tax breaks) because they really do not like the everyday people here.. and they love how the values are dropping, and other people are in trouble—no empathy at all, its your fault you moved here…
they are happy to have the school board waste tens of millions (as opposed to being fiscally conservative) because it feeds into their arguments that they do not want any more houses with SCHOOL children…
But they don’t want signs either, or business, or anything… Burton sues one of our Vineyards claiming the use is not “predominately agricultural?” What, they are growing grapes! Is it worth it to our County taxpayers to spend millions of dollars coming down so hard on one of our award winning vineyards? Why are we trying to stop them? We should be helping them, and helping our local economy, helping with the tax base… that was what they promised when they downzoned and installed the rural economy area… wrong… all they want is a park, where no one actually uses their land…
MILLIONS spent on lawsuits by the County to stop everything and
everyone, but they don’t have the $500,000 to finish up our perennial streams assessment…
Burton literally wants to stop everything….he doesn’t want to let the Town citizens have water (from their own wells), doesn’t want lights, attacks a local restaurant for selling penny candy (that changes the use and makes the restaurant illegal?) at the cash register… honestly, doesn’t our government have better things to do??
Jim Burton is directly responsible for the control freak, police state mentality we have in western Loudoun, and we need someone new…
Hey Scott, better get started on your Jim Burton endorsement letter. He will need it more than ever this election cycle.
Here are some talking points you should include of his “accomplishments” for the last 3 1/2 years in your letter.
*Squandered nearly four years to use the $500K voter approved bond funds for Rt7/Rt690 interchange feasibility study (now removed from the CIP) next to where an elementary school and high school now exist.
*Still no lights at the still uncompleted Franklin Park.
*Unsupportive of the Maple/Main intersection improvements where 80% of all traffic (where 9 out of 10 vehicles are not Purcellville registered) pass through Purcellville.
*Unsupportive of the southern collector/northern collector roads.
*Suing the Town of Purcellville to stop the completion of the southern collector road. Oh, and don’t forget to include yourself in on that. BTW, you should include that in your campaign material!
Those are a few tidbits, if you would like more don
Incumbents beware! York and Burton have guided this County NOWHERE!
Burton does not believe in economic development—only tax hikes. He is handled by his PEC friends, who all get big tax breaks, and who want no one to build anything at all, and who apparently want half the county tied up in no disturb buffers…
And York—who supposedly hand picked the current board to run with him—shows no leadership or vision, seems happy to go along, manipulated by the PEC and our staff with an extremist energy cap and trade policy for trading conservation credits so we don’t build anything, and an extremist “sustainability” agenda, which means no kids no cars no cows…nobody uses their land…
We patriots who believe in the constitution, in the free market, and in small government, not huge Resource Management Areas, where we all get managed and questioned about minor decisons we make—like putting in a playset—on our property.
We need economic development, and an environment that encourages companies to move here. Due to lack of leadership or will to accomplish anything positive, we debate a sign ordinance for YEARS getting nothing done on the simplest of basics… apparently that was why Northrup Grumman decided against Loudoun, they could not put up a sign on the building(s) they were interested in…
We debate a sign ordinance, that will let “developers” do something minor like put up a sign—for years. But we impose 100 foot buffers all over the county and tie up all land use without any certified notices, no publication in the papers, just a sneak rush job to severely restrict our property with a codified ordinance…
On one hand, RUSH to take away rights? and on the other hand, debate for YEARS giving a minor right—to place signs—to major businesses who we need, to diversify our tax base…
Burton and York have had no vision, have gotten nothing done for the economic development of our county, so people could work close to home, and have been super obstructionists… like the alternative septic fiasco… they just don’t want anything anywhere, and that is no way to create value or income… not good for the true public interest and simply results in higher taxes. They have done nothing to rein in the School Board, and they are all in favor of growing government to create programs like the Chesapeake Bay Preservation program Burton seemed frustrated not to have adopted last May—he was ready to vote, without listening to the public or anyone, but his PEC handlers, who do not have the interest of the average Loudouner in mind.
These are two men with no vision, only goals are to cow tow to PEC big money and special interests, and get nothing done…. they do not deserve to be re-elected… bad for business, bad for property taxes, bad for policy, just bad…
maravetz are you bi-polar ;-0
Mr. York, thank you. You have my support.
Sorry to hear of their decision to run again.
That means we all need to work harder if we the citizens of Loudoun want change in the leadership.
We’ve got to get them all out!
We’ve got to get all the School Board out too!
Let’s not sit around and wait until after the election to complain about these misfits when they again raise out taxes.
Let’s find candidates to run against them and win.
Let’s find candidates that will listen to the citizens and vote for financial stability in the county budget including demanding the school board submit a realistic budget or else!
Cut the fat, cut the BOS and cut the School Board!
Unite against them all!
We are having some fun now. This goes to show you, why this County has two minds. The West part, likes someone like Jim Burton. The East part, can’t decide what it wants, and every four years throws everyone out. So, who is right? How the heck am I supposed to know!
Burton overwhelmingly lost the Purcellville precinct (1/4 of the registered voters in his existing district) last go around and he has been rapidly digging the hole deeper ever since. His recent shenanigans in both Round Hill and Hamilton have also cost him a fair amount of support.
Burton seems to be the only one who uses his brain on the BoS. I’d vote for him. Recently, he has been particularly logical about the courthouse displays and the teacher furloughs.
Candidate Anon, I look forward to your campaign speech, you sound like you know what the west wants. Tell us who you are and that you will run for the position!@!!!
burton is a old sour puss way past his prime.
york was a closet installer and he has been around way too long. both seem to be scared of life out of politics.
exactly what have they really done except to wallow in their very limited disillusionment power. and don’t even get me started on Miller And that McGimsey person laughing all the way to the to her private bank from her public position and power.
American is getting totally fed up with all our politicians whether dem or rebub and even independent. Wholesale change coming. ;-)
Jim Burton is going to have a heck of a time—he has angered so many western residents over: schools, water, annexation issues, buying land for the western substation, the Chesapeake Bay Ordinance, the alternative septic fiasco… the list goes on.
Doubt he has many votes at all in any of the western Towns. The Hamilton drama over unreasonable conditions to use THEIR OWN WELL is a perfect example, but Purcellville has some whopper examples too. Burton has picked on too many people, fooled the farmers to get the downzoning, and now he is trying to get rid of farming with the Chesapeake Bay Act volunteering farmers for more paperwork and EPA hassle…tying up half of Loudoun in “buffers”...meanwhile he owns about ten acres and gets a reduced tax—when others in his situation would never be able to get the same deal.
He is too angry, not approachable, will not meet with anyone, makes up his mind and will not discuss anything…too old! we need someone new, fresh, approachable…
WE need someone who reads things for themselves, thinks for themselves, does not let the PEC write his newsletters, is not a PEC puppet…the elite in this county are out of touch with the realities of the everyday farmer, owner. rural business, parent of school children..
The first balance of power discussion will be the realization that there will be one rural district.
Burton gets my vote hands down.
Leej,
Both will clear get reelected - there is no doubt. The balance of power struggle will be in the eastern districts and what ever happens in Catoctin.
I can’t yet state with any certainty my view on Scott York, but I suspect Jim Burton is going to win reelection. His district is not the same as a far Eastern Loudoun district.
both will never get re elected.
they are living in dream world.
is it the fact they cannot stand the fact they will never have anything close to the attention they get on the BOS in the real world. perhaps york is afraid of installing closets again. And Burton a retired something can’t stand the fact he will also become a nobody once out of office. The entire BOS needs to go. and they will all be gone next election. This has been the do nothing board except to raise taxes.
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