SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti presented her State of the City address Tuesday morning, highlighting accomplishments and what the future holds for the Electric City.
For the last four years, Mayor Cognetti says she has worked to improve the quality of life for the people of Scranton with the goal of transparency in the local government.
For her third State of the City address, Mayor Cognetti presented what she believes are her administration's proudest accomplishments and her plans for Scranton's future.
Starting with government spending, the mayor was thrilled to share that the city's credit score is in good shape.
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"We have said 'No' a lot. We have made tough decisions, but we have achieved an investment-grade credit rating of BBB+. We have already saved $2,200,000 on bond refinancing just in the last 11 months since we got that upgrade," Mayor Cognetti stated.
Public safety has been a top priority, with significant investments in the police department, including a new fleet, advanced street cameras, and newer technology, such as body cameras with the ability to connect back to the department live.
"Again, officer safety, citizen safety, communication in real-time so that people can know what's around them, what the situation is. It's just, it's, it's really incredible, and it wouldn't be possible without grant funding. This is very expensive, it'd be very difficult for our city to fund this with local taxpayer dollars only," explained Mayor Cognetti.
Mayor Cognetti is also focusing on revitalizing neighborhoods. Plans for Nay Aug Park’s pool are underway, along with paving projects and the demolition of blighted properties, all to improve both the landscape and the community atmosphere.
"People really are investing, and when they invest in a city, right whether you're a business, whether you're an academic institution, whether you're any sort of sector, you've done your research and you're doing that because you have confidence in the future of that place," said Mayor Cognetti.
In 2024 alone, Scranton saw $5,800,000,000 in construction, with over $22,000,000 directed toward enhancing stormwater infrastructure.
