Mayor Paige Cognetti

Scranton Mayor Paige G. Cognetti delivered her State of the City Address, focused on her administration’s progress, including an ongoing commitment to public safety, upgrading infrastructure, improving government transparency and fairness, and enhancing residents’ quality of life.

Mayor Cognetti provided an overview of Scranton’s major initiatives and achievements since 2020, beginning with its financial status. The city shed its label as a financially distressed municipality in 2022 and increased its credit rating through Standard & Poor’s three levels in 2023 and 2024 to its current BBB+ rating. The improved credit rating created $2.2 million in savings through bond refinancing, further stabilizing Scranton’s finances.

Planning and preparation have allowed the Mayor’s administration to proactively fund safety equipment, vehicle fleet upgrades, and training and technology for the city’s public safety entities – the Police, Fire, and Public Works Departments. In December 2024, the city received its new $1.4 million ladder truck for Engine 4 on North Main Avenue, and total investments of $1.3 million in 2024 and 2025 have added 46 new vehicles to the Police Department’s fleet since 2023.

At the neighborhood level, city crews, including an expanded Department of Public Works traffic division, have helped replace nearly 4,500 street signs in an ongoing project. Crews have also repainted more than 200 priority crosswalks near school zones and other critical areas, and hundreds more will be repainted in 2025. Along with neighborhood infrastructure, the city has organized dozens of clean-up efforts through Sprucin’ Up Scranton, regularly brought city services to parks and neighborhoods via City Hall Pop-Up events, demolished more than 70 hazardous structures, and invested more than $26 million into city pools and parks.

Mayor Cognetti closed by outlining ongoing efforts to combat a growing housing crisis and celebrating investment into the city by private businesses, higher education, and more. Scranton also had an estimated $5.8 billion in construction projects in 2024 alone.

Watch the Mayor’s full remarks here.

More State of the City Addresses

Akron, Ohio

Mayor Shammas Malik

During his third State of the City Address, Mayor Shammas Malik outlined a sweeping vision for Akron’s future centered on collaboration, innovation, and community investment. The speech highlighted major new initiatives across housing, public safety, youth opportunity, sustainability, and economic development, all tied together through the city’s “Together for Akron” framework.

Evansville, Indiana

Mayor Stephanie Terry

In her third State of the City Address, Mayor Stephanie Terry reflected on a year defined by steady progress and continued work to build a vibrant, inclusive community where safety, opportunity, and connection help all residents thrive. Speaking under the theme “Building What Matters,” she emphasized that the city’s progress is driven by people—city employees, partners, and residents—who continue to show up and invest in Evansville’s future.

Scranton, Pennsylvania

Scranton Mayor Paige G. Cognetti delivered her State of the City Address, outlining a six-year turnaround that has taken the city from the brink of financial distress to a position of stability and growth, while continuing investments in public safety, infrastructure, quality of life, and lower costs for residents. Mayor Cognetti also highlighted Scranton’s financial progress, including three credit rating upgrades since exiting financially distressed status in 2022 and achieving its current A- rating with a stable outlook.