WILKES-BARRE — Paige Cognetti is running for Mayor of Scranton and she took time to present her case as to why voters should reelect her.
Mayor Cognetti said she has focused on a range of initiatives since taking office in January 2020.
She said her administration’s key accomplishments include:
Improving Scranton’s financial health
Cognetti said she has successfully implemented various initiatives and policies aimed at improving the city’s financial standing and long-term stability, including:
• Exiting a 30-year period of financial distress under Pennsylvania’s Act 47 program in January 2022, marking a major milestone in the city’s financial recovery journey.
• Achieving an investment-grade bond rating (BBB+), for the first time since September 2011. This improvement in creditworthiness makes it cheaper for the city to borrow money, saving taxpayers money.
• Investing $155 million of federal and state grants the city has successfully been awarded thanks to rigorous planning efforts into multiple quality of life and infrastructure projects.
• Ending the practice of taking out Tax Anticipation Notes (short-term borrowing to cover expenses), meaning no such notes have been necessary since 2022, further demonstrating the city’s financial health.
• Creating “realistic and balanced budgets” resulting in budget surpluses and reducing reliance on state assistance each year, despite severe economic headwinds, and introducing a 2025 budget without a municipal tax increase.
• Controlling costs and managing expenditures, including reducing healthcare expenses while maintaining employee health benefits.
• Focusing on fiscal planning and transparency by adopting a five-year fiscal forecast and capital investment plan and growing a healthy general fund balance to ensure the city’s ability to meet operating expenses and manage unexpected financial events.
• Implementing data tracking initiatives across city departments and increasing transparency and accountability through public reporting of financial information.
• Receiving Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Secretary’s Award for Municipal Excellence from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development in 2025.
Promoting economic growth
Cognetti said her administration is building on its success by fostering a favorable environment for economic growth and long-term stability. In order to modernize city government operations and attract new businesses to invest and grow in Scranton, the Cognetti administration has:
• Lowered permit fees, cut red tape, and streamlined the permitting process by bringing it online, leading to a significant increase in construction projects within the city.
• Issued 10,000 building permits since 2022 and welcomed 238 new retail and dining establishments.
• Invested in infrastructure with over $20 million in streetscape projects planned that will further transform the downtown area with a focus on walkability, pedestrian safety, and connectivity.
• Revitalized small business development through facade improvement and entrepreneurship programs. Initiatives like the small business wage boost program and grants for union training and apprenticeships are further strengthening Scranton’s economy.
• Continuously advocating for the restoration of Amtrak passenger rail service to New York City.
Fostering transparency and good governance
Cognetti said her administration has made a concerted effort to foster transparency and good governance in Scranton by implementing initiatives focused on open communication, responsible fiscal management, citizen engagement, and commitment to ethical practices. She said these actions reflect her commitment to reforming Scranton’s government, rebuilding public trust, and preventing the recurrence of legacy corruption issues.
Cognetti’s tenets of good government include:
• Open government: Cognetti’s administration has prioritized transparency through measures like the 311 reporting system, “Coffee with the Mayor” events, and department heads presenting their budgets at public meetings.
• Accountability: Safeguards have been put in place to prevent future abuse and mismanagement of funds, including the enactment of Fund Balance, Investment, and Debt Policies and the creation of an OPEB Trust.
• Eliminating cash payments: The city has moved away from accepting cash payments, reducing opportunities for illicit transactions.
• Establishing a whistle-blower hotline: A confidential whistle-blower hotline has been established for city employees to report concerns about potential misconduct or corruption.
• Modernizing City Hall systems: This includes introducing an online procurement portal and a number of new software systems to improve communication, enable city mapping, and inform department leadership, leading to a more equitable and efficient government.
• Data-driven accountability: The administration utilizes technology to track the progress of initiatives and to hold itself accountable, further improving transparency.
• Strict adherence to a responsible budget: The administration emphasizes responsible budgeting and prudent spending of taxpayer dollars, carefully managing expenses and prioritizing essential line items.
• Issuing nearly 140 requests for proposals (RFPs) through an open and transparent bidding process to advance essential projects.
• Cognetti also refuses a government car and gas card and uses her own stamps and stationery for constituent communications.
Enhancing public safety and quality of life
Cognetti said Scranton has implemented a range of initiatives aimed at improving public safety and quality of life for its residents. By focusing on these key areas, Cognetti said her administration aims to create a safer, more vibrant and more livable city for all Scranton residents by:
• Investing in the police force, including hiring five new full-time police officers, improving recruitment and training efforts, and forming stronger law enforcement partnerships.
• Proactively funding safety equipment and vehicle fleet upgrades for the Police, Fire, and Public Works Departments that includes adding 51 new police vehicles since 2023 equipped with smart technology, WiFi, mounted laptops, and AI-driven systems to enhance officer safety and efficiency, and by purchasing a new, custom-built $1.4 million ladder truck for the fire department. Capital spending for the police and fire department during the last four years far outpaced the investments made in the last 20 years.
• Investing $4 million in police safety equipment. The investments include live feed body cameras and dash cam upgrades, and enhanced surveillance technologies that provide real-time communication and data exchanges between officers in the field and the command center to help ensure safety at city events and throughout the community.
• Adding resources for youth and gang violence prevention through partnerships with county, school, and community organizations.
• Issuing 1,153 “quality of life” citations for privately owned properties that do not meet city standards.
• Revitalizing neighborhoods through park upgrades, including $26.7 million in total investments and a focus on expanding accessible public spaces.
• Making significant investments in infrastructure, including $23 million to address legacy stormwater issues.
• Leveraging federal funding to improve road safety and address traffic concerns.
• Restoring over 500 priority crosswalks, replacing 500 stop signs, and upgrading over 3,100 street signs.
• Partnering with Verizon to expand high-speed internet access to every neighborhood, investing in fiber-optic lines and technology infrastructure and offering low-cost plans for eligible households
• Demolishing 72 hazardous structures to remove blight with 16 more under contract for demolition.
• Addressing resident concerns: The Scranton Together Neighborhood Initiative fosters community outreach and cleanup events. The mayor’s 311 service allows residents to report non-emergency issues like blight, graffiti, and refuse pickup in real time.
• Advocating for residents on issues like utility costs, achieving a reduced water rate increase (lowered by 50%) and advocating against proposed UGI rate increases.
• Bridging the wage gap for various groups of workers to attract and retain talent, contribute to their financial well-being, and help boost the local economy. The 2025 budget, proposed by the mayor and adopted by city council, includes salary increases for 500 employees, both union and non-union.
• Fostering the next generation of union careers in Scranton by supporting training, equipment, and apprenticeship programs for skilled workers through city grants.
Why such a sizeable investment in parks and pools?
Cognetti’s administration has made upgrading the city’s parks and pools a significant focus, investing $26.7 million in improvements across the city’s parks and recreation facilities, and adding 14 NEW parks citywide.
“The parks, to me, are important, of course, beyond all the health benefits and the activities for kids, the activities for adults and everyone in between, but there’s a real morale perspective aspect of it for citizens,” she said. “And for me, they also show how much the local government cares about the neighborhood and about the families and thus the well-being of the community.”
A unique partnership with the Scranton School District is also creating safer schoolyards transformed by students at three elementary schools.
Fostering community engagement and partnerships
Cognetti has focused on fostering community engagement and partnerships through a multifaceted approach, emphasizing accessibility, inclusivity, and collaboration with diverse groups.
The wide range of initiatives implemented under Cognetti’s administration include:
• Supporting literacy programs and expanding access to childcare, including K-12 catch-up and assistance programs.
• Investing in community wellness programs, including projects focused on behavioral health and mental wellness, drug overdose prevention and violence prevention.
• Addressing food insecurity by launching Scranton’s Hunger Task Force, comprised of community leaders across sectors, and led by Mayor Cognetti, to address gaps in service deliveries and work to eliminate disparities in the region.
• Introducing the City of Scranton’s Unsheltered Task Force, which brings together various agencies to address homelessness.
• Launching the Scranton Together Neighborhood Initiative, focusing on improving neighborhood quality of life through outreach and cleanup events.
• Cultivating partnerships to support veterans, celebrate the arts, and organize new festivals throughout the year.
• Establishing the Electric City Fund, through the Scranton Area Community Foundation, designed to support parks and historic preservation projects in Scranton. Its primary role is to safeguard the city’s heritage and green space.
• Preserving Scranton’s historic landmarks, including Scranton’s City Hall, which underwent a $5 million renovation project completed in April 2025.
Road improvements and paving projects
Cognetti has focused on two key areas to address road improvements in the city: citizen reporting and improving utility restoration standards.
Here’s a breakdown of her administration’s actions:
• Pothole Reporter System: In May 2024, the city launched scrantonpotholes.com, an online system allowing residents to report potholes to the Department of Public Works (DPW) and track the progress of repairs.
• Updated Pave Cut Ordinance: Thanks to legislation introduced by Mayor Paige and passed by City Council, Scranton has updated its regulations for street openings and excavations (commonly known as the pave cut ordinance) to hold utility companies and other entities more accountable for proper road restoration after completing work.
• Infrastructure Investment: The City has been engaged in street paving projects since Mayor Paige first took office, funded through various sources, including general funds, CDBG funds, federal, state and local grants (e.g., Multimodal grants, Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grants, Local Share Account grants), and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
• The 2025 Street Paving Project: This $9 million ongoing project includes milling, paving, and installing disabled-accessible curb ramps on various streets (27) and alleys citywide.
• Advanced traffic technology: Scranton is implementing advanced, solar-powered flashing stop signs to improve pedestrian safety at key intersections by providing real-time audio and visual alerts, particularly beneficial for individuals with visual and hearing disabilities.
Education, training, and workforce development
Cognetti has made various strides in Scranton’s education, training, and workforce development efforts.
• Child Care and Literacy Programs: Allocated $1.5 million in ARPA funds to support and expand new and affordable childcare options, address learning loss, and enhance educational opportunities for children.
• Adult Literacy Programs: Supported adult literacy programs with a $25,000 grant through United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s (UNC) Scranton Council of Literacy Advance (SCOLA) program.
• Union Training and Apprenticeships: Announced city grants to support local unions’ training and apprenticeship programs, fostering skilled workers in Scranton.