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2 weeks ago

Unearthed records reveal Dem mayor sought tax hike to fund DEI role ahead of key House race

Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District, once proposed raising taxes to make room for a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) officer.A "DEI coordinator" was among eight new hires in the city’s 2023 proposed budget and would have set aside $25,500 for the position. In order to cover the costs of that opening and those of a police chief, a fire chief, a business administrator, a solicitor and a director of public works, the budget included a 3% property tax increase, estimated to generate $957,000 f...