Thank You Everyone!

Wow! 15,319 people in West Mecklenburg voted to support my grassroots campaign for NC State Senate District 38! Not bad for a "newcomer" with no name recognition, just a passion for speaking the truth, serving the people and protecting the futures of our children.

Thank you: Rudean's Restaurant, Claiborne's Lounge, Beatties Ford Hardware, Quillie III Haberdashery, Tabernacle Baptist Church, Charlotte Mecklenburg Republican Women, Don Reid's Skyland Breakfast Group, Steele Creek AME Zion Church, Greater Mount Moriah Baptist Church, The Tuesday Morning Forum, NC Police Benevolent Association, Inc., Free the Vote NC, National Rifle Association, Black Political Buzz, The Charlotte Post, The Charlotte Observer, The County News, The Ballantyne Scoop, League of Woman Voters, MeckGOP, Google, YouTube, and all of the churches and organizations who printed or spoke my name as a candidate for NC State Senate 38.

A special thank you to the friends and family who supported me all the way: Christine & Chris, Pinchy & Brad, Jimmy, Abdul, Grandma Molly, Nee & Squirrel, Anna & Mark, Dave, JB, Will, Curt M., Bill White, The Merrell Family, Carol and Mark, Virginia, Foot, Chastine, Mike, Coca, Nate, Daryl, Sophia, Keyes, Shareef, Ann, Sal Guzzetta, Dr. Peery.

To my children Jailen, Seth, Selah and Nora you can do anything with God, faith and family at your side! Thank you for the handwritten campaign business cards and the many words of encouragement. I am honored to have such thoughtful, smart, funny, compassionate and loving children!

To Michelle, the love of my life, I could not have done this without you! Your support and patience is the backbone for all of my endeavors. We make a great team!

To the 15,319 voters who voted for me, here I stand! Here I stand to represent your interest and support all of your community efforts. Thank you for all of your emails and phone calls in support of my future political campaigns. Please feel free to call or email me anytime. I will always be here for you!

Look for me on the ballot in the near future!

Partisan Criticism and Reviving Our NC Vision

Friday I had the honor and the privilege of having the opportunity to talk to Observer Contributor Phillip Hoffman about some of my concerns facing this coming election.

As you can see in the some of the spliced footage, although they had us roped and corralled, I was willing to still find a way to stand out and push the boundaries!! Although my dream to serve as the District 38 Senator is a very serious matter I had a lot of fun with the crowds of people who showed up for some BBQ.

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As the other politicians pressed quietly to be closest to the front of the 'handshaking line' you could find me at the very end of the corral where I could not only shake the hands of those that passed by but where I was also able to use the gift of my voice to entertain and exercise the minds of those that sat in idle as they waited for their boxes of BBQ to be delivered curbside. I was the only one willing to take such a chance...maybe to embarrass myself, maybe to speak my mind, maybe to say what they are scared to say....What I will say is that this is what you should expect out of those that are there to serve you. They should be unrelenting, fearless and persistent---fair, representative, and outspoken--- and they should know how to balance these things so they can make things happen. Any less should be insulting!!!

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Please take a moment to watch this brief interview with The Charlotte Observer to learn a bit more about where I stand.

please click link below

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/420/index.html?media_id=23970641

EYE TO EYE---One Voter at a Time

Thank you to all of my friends---new and old---that came out to support the annual Mallard Creek BBQ, there was plenty of wonderful food & happy welcoming faces! My deepest gratitude goes to those of you that are taking the time to get out there and get to know those candidates you are voting for!!! I hope my dedication to serving you is evident, it is certainly authentic.

As the race is closing it jaws and the last days are dwindling, I ask you to make it to the polls and cast your vote. I ask you to consider how hard I am working. I ask you to both vote for me AND share your witness to my passion and zest for this job with someone I have not yet been able to touch.

It is so difficult to be everywhere, and with so little campaign funds I have primaily led this campaign on my own, one handshake and one friendship at a time. I trust that the relationships I have built will not only carry me to a victory on Tuesday but also be the foundation for a lasting friendship AND partnership that is reliable, reasonable, available, and accessible if you choose me to represent you!

If you haven't had the chance to meet me yet I like to talk but equally love to listen. If you have a question, concern, or words of encouragement I challange you to leave a post or call me directly at 704.606.1899.

This will not lead you to a recording. This is not some office of people answering a phone that will be disconnected next Wednesday. This is my phone, this is me! This has been my phone number for over 5 years and it will be my number for another 5 years NO LESS!!!

SO leave NO stone unturned!!! Call me. Blog. Text. Ask. I am candid, fired up and ready to take my passion for District 38 (Western Mecklenburg County and Center City) and our State at large to THIS senate seat!

Elect Cedric Scott NC Senate 38

NOW & NOV 2

photos courtesy of The Charlotte Observer (http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/10/28/1794044/81st-annual-mallard-creek-barbecue.html)

We Can Do It Together!

Call your friends, family and neighbors on behalf of Cedric Scott for NC State Senate 38!

With your votes we will be on our way to making history in NC Senate District 38! Thousands of voters are sharing their stories of pain, poverty, foreclosure and hard times. I vow to never turn my back to even the toughest issues! I will always be here for you!

What has your current political leadership done for your lately? Are they answering your phone calls and emails? I am and always will---yes, it's time to "turn it around"! I am going to make sure that your concerns are heard and acted upon.

I will introduce laws in the State Senate that will protect education, veterans and seniors institutionally and financially. Our current leadership has not shown the political courage to protect those of our society that cannot protect themselves...children, seniors and the disabled.

The people of North Carolina deserve a second chance, first we need to find creative methods utilizing the existing resources left by manufacturing, textiles and tobacco (i.e. land, existing facilities). Second we need to prepare our workforce via vocational training from kindergarten to twelfth grade. Finally, we must also focus on being more proactive in supporting North Carolina’s existing small business base.

Since 1898 North Carolina Politics has been controlled by one political party (www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/1898/glossary.html). So who is to blame for our state's financial issues and non-forward thinking. You guessed it...your current state political leadership! Imagine restaurant menu with just one item on it. Boring and annoying huh? Let's vote for Cedric Scott for NC State Senate 38 and help diversify the political food we choose to eat! I will always come back to the people of Mecklenburg County for guidance and input on legislation to introduce.

Cedric Scott is different because I am not a career politician. My allegiance is, and always will be, with the people and not a political party. I am different because my life represents all of the current issues of the day from being a formerly employed citizen to the need for affordable health care. The people of Mecklenburg County and the state of North Carolina need leaders, like Cedric Scott, who will directly address the homeless and the soon to be homeless. Leaders, like Cedric Scott, who will fight to make sure Mecklenburg County’s educational system gets the state funding and support needed to help save teachers’ careers and help save our children’s educational opportunity.

It is time for a new generation of leadership with the wisdom and an understanding of the current social and economic issues facing the people of Mecklenburg County and the State of North Carolina.

Working for the People with Sincerity!

CEDRIC SCOTT…
NOT YOUR TYPICAL POLITICIAN…
NOT A TYPICAL CAMPAIGN

This is a GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN that is on the ground, SPEAKING FOR AND SPEAKING TO one person at a time….

In these hard times it is a difficult thing to ask someone for their hard earned money. We are all feeling the pinch of the economy and the growing gap between those that have and have not.

WHY NOT ELECT SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTS YOUR END OF THE SPECTRUM???

VOTE FOR THE PERSON NOT THE PARTY!!! Partisan politics is getting in the way of good government and fair decision making!

CMS School Closing Preys on West-Meck Students

The proposed school closing have caused unrest and tension throughout all of Mecklenburg County as many students and families across the County are asked to begin the mental preparation for changes that are expected to be enacted by the school board to help wrangle their unbalanced budget.

In these changing and uncertain times I think that anyone who has to count their pennies from week to week (which is everyone I personally know) are sympathetic of the need for changes that will float us to the day the economy begins to turn back around but I am outraged that our leaders feel that this might be accomplished primarily on the backs of our Western Mecklenburg County citizens....SHAME ON YOU!

I began this post two days ago after reading the front page article in The Charlotte Observer "CMS Picks 12 Schools for Possible Closure" and had waited hoping that CMS would come out with additional information that would more clearly outline their method and process for choosing the schools that they did, I have searched their website and news stories hopeful to find a link to some less abbreviated CMS plan, which I can not find.

We as a community should be disgusted with the fact that of the 12 proposed closing all but 4 of them are represented in West Charlotte. Of the remaining 4 school, it is somewhat misleading since 2 of those 4 schools are Montessori Magnets, which they proposed to combine and send to the current Oaklawn Padeia Academy Magnet (which they would close as it's current use and be a new Montessori School). Leaving only really Villa Heights which is not considered "West Charlotte" but is considered a high poverty enclave near Center City.

So what I can observe in CMS's abbreviated plan is if you are a high poverty school, minority and located in West Mecklenburg Co. you are on the top of their 'list'. Why is this happening? What do you think would happen if this same proposal came out and 80% of it's plan effected only South Mecklenburg Co. residents? All I can say is that I am sure that the last few days would have never been so quiet if that was the case...never. This is an opportunity for us to express our power and concern for our schools, the future of our communities, and our commitment to ourselves and our children to stand and fight---this is not right.

Each one of these proposed closings touch me very personally. I clearly want the best for Western Mecklenburg residents which means that we should be fighting to keep every possible school in this area open for our young people to learn and grow but even the proposal to combine the Montessori Program seems to me a mistake, with my daughter enrolled at one of these schools brings up a few other observations that must be recognized:

• What is the value of closing schools to move them somewhere else? What is the administrative costs associated with such a move? What is the actual cost of packing a school up and hiring a moving company to move it one mile down the road?
• What about the vacant real estate? How will you keep (now vacant) older schools from becoming magnets for neighborhood misconduct (vandalism, drugs, street crime, squatting)?
• What will be the cost of storage of all the furniture, materials, etc that will now not be used? If the proposal expects to sell these items have we thought about the long term cost of then replacing these items as our schools once again need to grow?
• What is the administrative cost of all of this moving and restaffing---seems that money is being spent when we least have it on the wrong end of the spectrum, paying for reorganization not education!

Most obnoxious of all is that poverty seems to be a driving factor in this overhaul, which begs the question: Since when has high poverty, high need been a qualification for reduction of resources????

Check out the map I created on the right, "Charlotte Meck Proposed CMS Closings" highlighting the location of the 12 proposed schools to close per CMS School Board Proposal outlined in Charlotte Observer Septermber 29, 2010

NCPBA Endorses CEDRIC SCOTT for NC STATE SENATE 38 CAMPAIGN

The North Carolina Police Benevolent Association, Inc.(PBA), a division of the Southern States Police Benevolent Association, Inc, endorsed my candidacy Wednesday of last week. Check out the organization's website at http://www.ssspba.org/ . As we get closer to November 2, hopefully other organizations will acknowledge my honesty, passion and sincerity for public service.

Thank you PBA for your vote of confidence! I will be your voice in the NC State Senate and beyond!

Honorable Work by Fellow Citizens in the Public Housing Sector

Affordable housing, health care, education and addressing unemployment issues were all part of this week's discussions with the citizens of North Carolina (NC) Senate District 38.



I had the opportunity to take a tour of Affordable Housing Facilities around Mecklenburg County. There were community leaders from all across Mecklenburg County and the State of NC. Habitat for Humanity, League of Women Voters Members, Housing Coalition of NC Staff, Church Leaders, Educators, Realtors, Builders and even average citizens who were just concerned and supportive of affordable housing efforts in our state attended the tour. These homes were very inviting. A long way away from my memories of affordable housing that were complete with concrete floors cinder block walls and tons of roaches. After meeting all of the players associated with affordable housing, completing the tour which lasted almost four hours, I am a fan of their efforts and will support affordable housing legislation in the NC State Senate.



To all those who think affordable housing discriminates, decreases your property value and/or increases crime rate, think about something for a moment. There is no place for such selfishness as public and private partnerships lend a helping hand to your fellow North Carolinian who aspire to live the "American Dream". Let's take some time out of our busy schedules and go visit the faces and places of Mecklenburg County Affordable Housing. You will be suprised, as was I, to see what appeared to be quality construction and the many ammenities at each location.

Life Reflections: Past, Present and Future

I love Beatties Ford Road and all of the communities of North Carolina (NC) State Senate District 38! I have planted trees, mowed lawns, unclogged toilets and drains, cleaned gutters, hauled junk and many other various and sundry tasks all over the district. Why? Not for money, not for praise, but for my appreciation of life and the hard times it can bring sometimes.

In fact, taking care of nieghbors and other community members is what Geraldine F. Scott (Ma) taught me to tell you the truth. Ma is my grandma. She would feed members of our community every day of the week. Especially on Saturday and Sunday when my aunts, uncles and cousins visited. She would cook three meals a day taking a break from her "slitting" work at Willis Hoisery in Concord, NC.

I had a really good childhood even though Larry Wayne Morrison (father) was never a part of my life. Even now he has remain invisible in my life and the life of my four children. Eleven aunts, seven uncles, two grandmas (Ma and Nina Kirkpatrick (Grandma Nina), one great-grandma (granny), one mother, Carol Scott Peek (Carol), one dad-David C. Kirkpatrick (Mac) are just the immediate short list of family to whom I owe my career acheivements. They all built my leadership and character skills. Sometimes with a spankin' and sometimes with a speak. I think they called that child abuse in today's terms. Not me though, I call it love! Love for life, fairness, honestly and American pride.

I hope I am blessed to formally serve this community as Senator. This community reminds me of my childhood in so many ways, and as I remember the neighbors and family members who always made sure Ma's house and my Mama's house were 'kept'---who taught me everyone deserves the respect for which they earn, and that life is about working as hard as the Lord will let you work....

Literacy Day Festivities at JCSU

Yesterday my family and I attended the Literacy Day Celebration at Johnson C. Smith University(JCSU). What a "high caliber" panel of speakers, presenters, workshop leaders and vendors from different parts of the USA. I must admit my appreciation for the support, advice and words of encouragement offered to me by many of the event participants. It was nice to see a educational environment where children of all ages and parents could learn in a relaxed environment. There was a talent show for kids, funnel cakes, WaterIce (http://www.whatswaterice.com/), a Jump-N-Play for the kids and much more. The whole day was a great combination of food, fun, focus and fellowship.

We must, as political leaders, support events like the Literacy Day Celebration at a minimum with our attendance. Even if we just send a member of staff or a community representative, let's start showing our sincere interest in the future of our community. Until political leaders begin to involve themselves in the daily community events throughout their districts...they will never honestly understand the plight of the people they represent.

There were a lot of young future community leaders in the audience. You could see in their eyes the hunger for knowledge. All in attendance were engaged and ready to "sponge up" every spoken and written word. I feel inspired and honored at the opportunity to represent such a creative and positive culture in West Mecklenburg County. The event was refreshing, the conversations and business opportunities presented were impressive.

Thank you JCSU, the H.E.L.P. Project, Events By Deb, Urban League of the Central Carolinas, City of Charlotte and the Global Media Network, LLC my family ---We truly enjoyed ourselves!

A special "thank you" to all veterans for the freedoms we Americans experience and the many freedoms to come!

Focus On the Citizen(s)

This morning my daughter and I walked to Nikki's Food Shop for breakfast. On the way we spoke to everyone walking along the street. I was asking people for their vote in November. Sounds like a long time from now, but my early action should payoff in the long run. When we got to Nikki's we ordered and began to greet everyone in the shop. Many conversations were going on. Everything from complaints about the Beatties Ford Library's new hours to former teachers discussing plans to challenge Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System's decision to terminate their employment. Listening to the many different and equally important conversations throughout the restaurant filled my heart with even more courage and will to win the North Carolina (NC) State Senate 38 Seat to speak for the people. It's these candid moments which express real life experiences that provide great political insight to my campaign efforts and purpose.

My life-long career goal as a humble public servant is to make sure NC provides opportunity for all of its citizens. We need to examine what I believe are the core functions of our state government...provide access health care, education and insure public safety. While there are many other issues, I believe our state government must "hone in on" these specific issues to provide more leadership examples, in tough economic times, for city and county leaders across NC to follow.

To the many conversations I have overheard during this campaign. I will speak and legislate for you and the needs of your family and the greater community. I will always hear your ideas and concerns. I will always use your input and guidance to protect the issues that are dear to you.

Know Who Is On Your Team in the "Game of Life"

We must save the "human" resources of our communities by voting for leaders who understand our communities' needs, aspirations and current situations. I understand what is like to constantly "look for work". I understand what it means to not have healthcare coverage. I understand the meaning and importance of fatherhood. I understand what it is like to be hungry and homeless. I understand what it means to make illegal mistakes, learn from them, better yourself and have those same mistakes label you unworthy of a second chance. Most importantly I understand the importance of spiritual peace and spiritual reconciliation with my Creator!

As your NC State Senator, I will make sure your ideas and concerns are properly addressed, from public safety to pot holes. It will take a team effort from everyone (registered voters and non-registered voters) in Mecklenburg County! As State Senator, I will be the voice of common sense and a pillar of human compassion. No one member of the community will have greater influence than the other. One for all and all for one! Fairness over favoritism! Complete and total unselfishness with no influence by one special interest group over another!

Every public servant in Mecklenburg County, including me, must be held accountable without prejudice to one political party over the other.

Finally, No more straight ticket voting for Republicans or Democrats! Vote for the person, not the party! Straight ticket voting has allowed many candidates to "fly under the voters radar". We must examine politics like we assemble a fantasy football team with individual players who possess special talents from different football teams. You must ask yourself, at the voting polls, if the current political leaders really represent you and your community. I conclude the answer is "No, they do not represent you or the community"! The current budget recommendations to layoff teachers, layoff city and county employees, close recreation centers, close libraries and close schools does not support the needs of our communities! In fact, these suggestions will erase 30 plus years of progress!

Beatties Ford Business District Streetscape Project: Our Future Is Happening NOW

Today was a good day. I met many disappointed people in NC Senate District 38. Disappointed in even the idea of taking educational opportunities from our communities. "We must support our children and their future" was the summary of my community conversations today and prior. It's as if no one is considering the effects on neighborhoods when schools, libraries and recreation centers begin to close. Many of our youth will turn to the "streets" for support since public servants seem not to care. What an empty message of hope for our children!

How about the $3.7 million median project on Beatties Ford Road starting at LaSalle stopping at I-85, intended to improve the streetscape of our business district? Sounds like a waste of money when the you take into account the continuation of the CATS Streetcar Project also slated for this corridor through the west end. I argue that is unless there is a concerted effort to make this particular project a coordination with the CATS Streetcar Project, it seems to not make sense to spend this exorbitant amount of money when our community is clearly in need of much more than just these ‘surface level’ improvements. (and possibly be torn up to put in the streetcar in the coming years…)

Although I do believe this would be a wonderful aesthetic improvement to our struggling business district I argue that to stamp new concrete sidewalks to look like brick and adding a median to give our citizens an area of refuge as they cross the busy street may have value but is it worth the millions that will be spent while we are losing our libraries (particularly the one in the business district which is under construction now??!!??---but scheduled to close??) and several of our local schools that have been identified as at risk to be closed due to budget cuts because they are “underfilled.” (***according to the Charlotte Observer, May 16, 2010 in article “Which CMS Schools will Close” out of the 16 schools they listed as ‘Underfilled’ 11 of those schools are in District 38, including Lincoln Heights, 1/4 mile from the Beatties Ford Business District).

And if this is an argument about improving the business district to increase economic stability and development it seems like a band-aid for a larger problem of identifying and resolving the issues facing our actual business owners that provide us good and services. I am excited about seeing the Streetcar Project come down this corridor. I believe it will do the most to stabilize our community and empower our residents, but we must be cautious and informed so we can retain the ‘flavor’ of our community and not fall prey to gentrification and sterilization….

My biggest beef with this project is that I feel like it might be happening in a bubble, unconscious of its relationship to the economic issues our immediate community faces, and more so unconscious of the relationship to the CATS Streetcar Project. I challenge anyone to send me the phasing schedule for the Streetcar project (because I could not find it anywhere on online) and if this Median/Streetscape Project is an initial phase of the Streetcar project then maybe it just has unfortunate timing in this stressed economic time but does have some validity for the future of this community.

Where is the Love?

The Veterans Rally and March to the May 18, 2010 Mecklenburg County Commissioners Meeting was impressive. Veterans from all over Mecklenburg, Catawba, Cabarrus, Union and York County were in attendance and "fired up"! Most of them concerned for their sons and daughters currently serving their country. Access to earned military benefits and services are important. We must always support our military veterans active, inactive, retired etc. They are the reason many of us sleep without worry of foreign or domestic invasion.

I got a chance to speak to everyone who attended the event one-on-one, in small gatherings and in an informal address to the entire crowd. My message to the crowd was simple. As the State Senator for District 38, I would never vote for a budget which involves a cut or elimination of veterans services locations. It doesn't makes sense and our current leaders, both Republican and Democrat, should be embarrassed such recommendations even entered the discussion!

Cory Thompson (Mecklenburg County Commissioner Candidate) and Cal Cunningham (US Senate Candidate) made comments after my address.

Education in Danger in Mecklenburg County North Carolina (What are They Doing?!)

How can our current political leadership allow schools and libraries to close and fire hundreds of educators? I believe they have forgotten how vital it is to educate our communities! One could argue that our current state and local leaders are selfish. Selfish enough to protect their own incomes and resources while essentially eradicating communities' incomes and resources.

I can promise voters Cedric Scott will not sit quietly as your NC State Senator for District 38. Education and educators will always be one of my top priorities! I will work to make sure the "Education Lottery" funds go directly to saving and continuing to invest in our children's and communities' futures! I will not tolerate the "pork barrel" spending of Education Lottery Funds! It's just not fair to our children!

I will lead the charge to "Take Our Community Back"! Let's vote every incumbent out of office this November 2, 2010! Let's show political leaders of Mecklenburg County that we will no longer allow them to destroy the futures of our children! Let's take our community back!