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Scranton council approves salary increases, no-parking zones and other measures
Summary
On Jan. 28 the Scranton City Council adopted measures raising elected officials' pay, established no-parking zones on Cedar Avenue, extended an animal-shelter lease and approved a tax-collector pay increase; council also introduced an easement ordinance for the Meadowbrook flood project.
The Scranton City Council on Tuesday approved a package of ordinances that includes raises for elected officials, a no-parking ordinance for part of Cedar Avenue and a pay increase for the city’s tax collector, and it introduced an ordinance to acquire easements for the Meadowbrook flood-protection project.
The council voted to raise the mayor’s salary to $95,000 and to increase each council member’s annual salary to $18,000, changes scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2026. The council also approved increasing the tax collector’s salary to $72,000, effective Jan. 1, 2026. The body adopted a no-parking ordinance to bring the easterly and westerly sides of the 3400 blocks of Cedar Avenue into compliance with PennDOT sight-distance specifications, and it extended the lease with Street Cats and Dogs Inc. for the Ash Street firehouse property for 12 months.
Votes and key actions (official motions and roll calls recorded in the council minutes):
- Ordinance: Introduce into committee — Acquisition of permanent and temporary easements for the Meadowbrook flood-protection project and authorization to file a declaration of taking under section 302 of the eminent domain code. Motion to introduce: moved and seconded; introduction approved (voice vote: “Aye”). Note: council members said a residents’ meeting with city engineers is scheduled this week.
- Resolution (5c, introduced): Authorizing the mayor and city officials to accept on behalf of the Scranton Fire Department a Pennsylvania American Water firefighting support grant of up to $1,000. Motion to introduce: moved and seconded; introduction approved (voice vote: “Aye”).
- Ordinance (6a): Amend lease agreement with Street Cats & Dogs Inc. for 1409 Ash Street; extend term by 12 months (reading by title and passage by voice). Motion to pass reading by title: moved by Councilman McCandrell; seconded; passage adopted (voice vote: “Aye”).
- Ordinance (7a): Establish and ratify no-parking zone along easterly and westerly sides of 3400 blocks of Cedar Avenue to meet PennDOT standards. Committee recommendation: final passage. Roll call: King — yes; Shuster — yes; Rothchild — yes; McAndrew — yes; Smearl — yes. Item declared adopted.
- Ordinance (7b): Increase mayor’s salary to $95,000 effective Jan. 1, 2026. Committee recommendation: final passage. Roll call: King — yes; Shuster — no; Rothchild — yes; McAndrew — no; Smearl — yes. Item declared adopted.
- Ordinance (7c): Increase council member salary to $18,000 effective Jan. 1, 2026 (amended language to cite Article 3, Section 304 of the Home Rule Charter; amendment and ordinance adopted). Committee recommendation: final passage as amended. Roll call: King — yes; Shuster — no; Rothchild — yes; McAndrew — no; Smearl — yes. Item declared adopted as amended.
- Ordinance (7d): Increase tax collector salary to $72,000 effective Jan. 1, 2026. Committee recommendation: final passage. Roll call: King — yes; Shuster — yes; Rothchild — yes; McAndrew — yes; Smearl — yes. Item declared adopted.
Council members who voted on roll-call items (as listed in the meeting transcript) included Councilman King; Councilman Shuster; Dr. Rothchild; Councilman McAndrew; and Council President Smearl. Several measures were introduced to committee for review rather than enacted immediately.
Why it matters: The salary changes set compensation levels for municipal elected offices beginning in 2026 and were the most contested items on a busy agenda. The Meadowbrook easement introduction begins a legal process that could lead to property acquisitions or temporary access rights for flood-control work in neighborhoods along Meadowbrook Creek.
