Scranton council advances pay increases for mayor, city council and tax collector despite public opposition

The Scranton City Council voted to introduce three separate ordinances to raise elected-official pay, moving forward proposals that would set the mayor’s salary at $95,000, city council members at $18,000 and the tax collector at $72,000 effective Jan. 1, 2026. The measures were introduced after public comment and council discussion; the mayor and council proposals passed introduction by a 3-2 vote and the tax-collector proposal moved forward by majority vote.

The proposals drew repeated criticism during the citizens participation period, when multiple residents and local union leaders urged council to prioritize housing, homelessness and existing municipal costs instead of raising salaries. Joan Hodowan, a Scranton resident, referenced the city’s charter when questioning the timing: “Under Article 13, Section 1304, salaries for elected officials are handled separately … compensation of any elected officials occupying these positions shall not be increased or changed in any way during their elected term of office,” she said, arguing the ordinance should address the office and not the incumbent.

The debate continued with Virgil Argento, who called the raises “out of step” with reported homelessness and other city needs, and Alan Lucas, president of IAFF Local 60, who contrasted recent multi-year wage settlements for firefighters and police with the proposed one-time increases for elected officials. Lynn Labroski, a taxpayer and business owner, described the timing as inappropriate during an “election year” and questioned where funds for the raises would come from.

Council members framed the vote as consideration of the positions rather than the current officeholders. Councilman King said he wanted to introduce the measures to allow further committee review, and Doctor Rothchild and others noted the proposals would not take effect immediately and are intended to align the city’s compensation with market rates. Council members cited the long intervals between prior increases: the mayor’s salary had not changed in 13 years; council pay had not been increased in 26 years, several members said.

The council’s action was procedural: introductions send the ordinances to committee for further debate and two subsequent readings before final passage. Council members and several speakers also noted a separate legal question flagged during public comment — whether an incumbent sitting in an office at the time of an increase could receive it during that term — citing the home rule charter language read aloud at the meeting.

If ultimately adopted, the mayor and council increases are scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2026, which the council said means they would apply to the person elected to those offices in 2026 rather than automatically raising pay midterm for an incumbent. The tax collector increase would be shared with the school district: council members noted the city and Scranton School District each pay 50% of that office’s salary.

The ordinances will return to committee for staff analysis and public hearings. Council members said they expect more discussion between introduction and any final votes; no final salaries were adopted at the meeting.