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Residents sharply divided over 'Biden' Spruce Street signage; multiple callers urge referendum or removal
Summary
Residents pressed the Scranton City Council to act on Spruce Street signage honoring President Joe Biden, with calls both to remove the signs and to leave them in place — many callers urged a public referendum.
Residents and frequent public commenters raised a contentious debate over the Spruce Street signage honoring President Joe Biden, with speakers alternately urging council to remove the signs, to leave them in place, or to put the question to a public referendum.
Several commenters argued for removing the signs and restoring the former street name. Bob Bolas, who described a long record of community service including an annual Christmas dinner, urged the council to “remove those signs from the expressways of Spruce Street” and said he had gathered petition signatures and may pursue legal action. He said the designation disrespected victims of past local scandals and that the city had been “sold out.”
Other speakers pushed back. Les Spindler and Lynn Labroski said they were proud Spruce Street honored a native son and urged council to put the question to voters rather than change it by administrative action. Mike Mancini suggested council could restore the name immediately or send it to a referendum on the May 20th ballot. Several speakers called for civil dialog and urged council to allow the public to decide.
Why it matters: Street names and honorary designations can symbolize community identity and provoke strong reactions. Commenters emphasized civic voice and suggested a referendum or citywide vote as the appropriate method to resolve the dispute.
Council response and next steps
Council members did not take formal action on the signage during the meeting. Multiple public commenters asked council to place the question on the May ballot or to act immediately to change signage. Council members acknowledged the comments and said they would consider the public remarks; no ordinance or resolution concerning street naming was introduced at this meeting.
Ending
The conversation remains unresolved in council minutes. Several public speakers encouraged a ballot referendum; others asked council to retain the designation. Council staff or administration were not recorded taking immediate action during the meeting.
