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Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Scranton council candidates weigh in on preferences for mayor, council
Scranton's city council election this year, with three seats up for grabs, coincides with the mayoral election. The Democratic candidates for council are Virgil Argenta, Patrick Flynn, Frankie Malacaria, Sean McAndrew, Todd Pousley and incumbent Councilman Tom Schuster. Republican Marc Pane also is running in the GOP primary for a nomination for city council. The Democratic ballot for mayor has incumbent Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti challenged by former Scranton School Board President Bob Sheridan. The Republican ballot for mayor has accounting executive Patricia Beynon and business owner Lynn Labrosky each seeking the GOP nomination. The Times-Tribune asked the council candidates who they will vote for mayor and for council, besides themselves. Argenta declined to answer the questions and called them 'borderline election interference.' Virgil Argenta, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary for Scranton City Council. (IMAGE PROVIDED / COURTESY OF VIRGIL ARGENTA) Flynn, on mayoral candidates, said, 'Scranton deserves a City Council member who will work hard and always put our neighborhoods first no matter who's mayor. Council should be a strong check and balance, but also a partner in progress. I'll work with anyone to get results for Scranton, and I'll stand my ground when needed.' Regarding other council candidates, Flynn said, 'If I'm fortunate enough to win, I look forward to working with whoever else is elected to City Council. Progress takes teamwork, and I'm committed to doing what's best for our city in a collaborative manner, no matter the outcome of the other races.' Patrick Flynn, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF PATRICK FLYNN) Malacaria said he will vote for Cognetti, calling her 'the best candidate running for mayor at this time,' and adding, 'While we don't always agree, I believe her leadership has set us toward the right direction.' As for other council candidates, Malacaria said he will vote for Pousley. Frankie Malacaria, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF FRANKIE MALACARIA) McAndrew said he has 'serious concerns' about Cognetti's priorities. 'I won't be a rubber stamp. I'll stand up for working families and advocate for real solutions. At the same time, I'm committed to working with whomever is elected mayor, because putting our city first means finding common ground.' Regarding other council candidates, McAndrew said, 'I'll work with whomever is elected. Working together is the only way we make progress in our city.' Sean McAndrew, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF SEAN McANDREW) Pousley said he will vote to re-elect Cognetti. 'Under her leadership, Scranton shed its distressed status after 30 years and is now on a solid financial footing. Our downtown is vibrant, with a growing residential population, and our neighborhoods are benefiting from park improvements, efforts to clean up blight and support for small businesses. I will work with the mayor, even when we disagree, to continue this positive forward momentum.' Cognetti on April 30 announced her endorsement of Pousley in the council race. He is the only council candidate Cognetti endorsed. Regarding other council candidates, Pousley said, 'There are other good candidates on the Democratic ticket and I'm still deciding who else I will vote for, but I know for certain I will not be voting for the candidates who are running as Democrats but don't actually share the values of the Democratic party. Their words and actions directed at me and other candidates demonstrate they can't be trusted to lead with integrity and work together to achieve results for Scranton residents.' He declined to identify those candidates. Todd Pousley, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF TODD POUSLEY) Schuster, regarding mayoral candidates, said, 'I will leave that up to the voters,' and 'I will be happy to work with any of the candidates if elected.' As for other council candidates, Schuster said he believes there are 'serious red flags' regarding two of the other candidates, and he referenced articles in newspapers about one candidate's 'conflict of interest' regarding his 'employment with a non-profit that receives city funding;' and the other candidate's prior runs for Wilkes-Barre City Council. Schuster declined to identify those two candidates by name. Scranton Councilman Tom Schuster,a candidate for re-election in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF TOM SCHUSTER) Argenta is the only candidate for council in this primary who previously ran for a council seat in Wilkes-Barre. Argenta ran unsuccessfully in the 2003 and 2007 Democratic primaries for Wilkes-Barre City Council, and ran unsuccessfully in the 2011 general election as a Republican for Wilkes-Barre City Council, according to archives of The Citizens' Voice newspaper. The Times-Tribune reported last month on Pousley saying he started a leave of absence March 27 from his job with NeighborWorks while he runs for city council because of concerns raised about a potential conflict of interest. If elected, Pousley acknowledged he would have a conflict of interest on any matter directly involving NeighborWorks, but the remedy to that would be for him to recuse himself from any such matter, discussion or vote, Pousley had said in that article. In a phone interview Friday, Pousley said of Schuster's 'red flag' comment, 'What I said previously still applies.' Pousley said he has since also sought an advisory opinion from the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission, and that opinion mirrors his stance. Pane answered the two questions about voting for mayor and council in one reply: 'Privacy in the voting booth allows voters to make decisions based on their own beliefs and preferences without feeling pressured to conform to the views of others. Voters are free to vote honestly and independently when their choices are confidential and it is the cornerstone of our democracy. Such questions would only promote more division in our already fractured community where we should be promoting unity instead. When I first became involved in politics, a good friend told me when someone tells you they will vote for you, you really can't believe them. He told me the only person you can believe 100% is the person who tells you they are not voting for you.' Marc Pane, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Republican primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF MARC PANE) The three council seats available are those of Schuster and two held by Bill King and council President Gerald Smurl. King and Smurl are not running in the primary for reelection. Winners of the primary will advance to run in the Nov. 4 general election. The three winners of the general election would join on council the other two members not up for reelection this year: Mark McAndrew and Jessica Rothchild. * Virgil Argenta, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary for Scranton City Council. (IMAGE PROVIDED / COURTESY OF VIRGIL ARGENTA) * Patrick Flynn, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF PATRICK FLYNN) * Frankie Malacaria, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF FRANKIE MALACARIA) * Sean McAndrew, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF SEAN McANDREW) * Todd Pousley, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF TODD POUSLEY) * Scranton Councilman Tom Schuster,a candidate for re-election in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF TOM SCHUSTER) * Marc Pane, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Republican primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF MARC PANE) Show Caption 1 of 7 Virgil Argenta, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary for Scranton City Council. (IMAGE PROVIDED / COURTESY OF VIRGIL ARGENTA) Expand
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Scranton council candidates weigh in on preferences for mayor, council
Scranton's city council election this year, with three seats up for grabs, coincides with the mayoral election. The Democratic candidates for council are Virgil Argenta, Patrick Flynn, Frankie Malacaria, Sean McAndrew, Todd Pousley and incumbent Councilman Tom Schuster. Republican Marc Pane also is running in the GOP primary for a nomination for city council. The Democratic ballot for mayor has incumbent Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti challenged by former Scranton School Board President Bob Sheridan. The Republican ballot for mayor has accounting executive Patricia Beynon and business owner Lynn Labrosky each seeking the GOP nomination. The Times-Tribune asked the council candidates who they will vote for mayor and for council, besides themselves. Argenta declined to answer the questions and called them 'borderline election interference.' Virgil Argenta, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary for Scranton City Council. (IMAGE PROVIDED / COURTESY OF VIRGIL ARGENTA) Flynn, on mayoral candidates, said, 'Scranton deserves a City Council member who will work hard and always put our neighborhoods first no matter who's mayor. Council should be a strong check and balance, but also a partner in progress. I'll work with anyone to get results for Scranton, and I'll stand my ground when needed.' Regarding other council candidates, Flynn said, 'If I'm fortunate enough to win, I look forward to working with whoever else is elected to City Council. Progress takes teamwork, and I'm committed to doing what's best for our city in a collaborative manner, no matter the outcome of the other races.' Patrick Flynn, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF PATRICK FLYNN) Malacaria said he will vote for Cognetti, calling her 'the best candidate running for mayor at this time,' and adding, 'While we don't always agree, I believe her leadership has set us toward the right direction.' As for other council candidates, Malacaria said he will vote for Pousley. Frankie Malacaria, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF FRANKIE MALACARIA) McAndrew said he has 'serious concerns' about Cognetti's priorities. 'I won't be a rubber stamp. I'll stand up for working families and advocate for real solutions. At the same time, I'm committed to working with whomever is elected mayor, because putting our city first means finding common ground.' Regarding other council candidates, McAndrew said, 'I'll work with whomever is elected. Working together is the only way we make progress in our city.' Sean McAndrew, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF SEAN McANDREW) Pousley said he will vote to re-elect Cognetti. 'Under her leadership, Scranton shed its distressed status after 30 years and is now on a solid financial footing. Our downtown is vibrant, with a growing residential population, and our neighborhoods are benefiting from park improvements, efforts to clean up blight and support for small businesses. I will work with the mayor, even when we disagree, to continue this positive forward momentum.' Cognetti on April 30 announced her endorsement of Pousley in the council race. He is the only council candidate Cognetti endorsed. Regarding other council candidates, Pousley said, 'There are other good candidates on the Democratic ticket and I'm still deciding who else I will vote for, but I know for certain I will not be voting for the candidates who are running as Democrats but don't actually share the values of the Democratic party. Their words and actions directed at me and other candidates demonstrate they can't be trusted to lead with integrity and work together to achieve results for Scranton residents.' He declined to identify those candidates. Todd Pousley, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF TODD POUSLEY) Schuster, regarding mayoral candidates, said, 'I will leave that up to the voters,' and 'I will be happy to work with any of the candidates if elected.' As for other council candidates, Schuster said he believes there are 'serious red flags' regarding two of the other candidates, and he referenced articles in newspapers about one candidate's 'conflict of interest' regarding his 'employment with a non-profit that receives city funding;' and the other candidate's prior runs for Wilkes-Barre City Council. Schuster declined to identify those two candidates by name. Scranton Councilman Tom Schuster,a candidate for re-election in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF TOM SCHUSTER) Argenta is the only candidate for council in this primary who previously ran for a council seat in Wilkes-Barre. Argenta ran unsuccessfully in the 2003 and 2007 Democratic primaries for Wilkes-Barre City Council, and ran unsuccessfully in the 2011 general election as a Republican for Wilkes-Barre City Council, according to archives of The Citizens' Voice newspaper. The Times-Tribune reported last month on Pousley saying he started a leave of absence March 27 from his job with NeighborWorks while he runs for city council because of concerns raised about a potential conflict of interest. If elected, Pousley acknowledged he would have a conflict of interest on any matter directly involving NeighborWorks, but the remedy to that would be for him to recuse himself from any such matter, discussion or vote, Pousley had said in that article. In a phone interview Friday, Pousley said of Schuster's 'red flag' comment, 'What I said previously still applies.' Pousley said he has since also sought an advisory opinion from the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission, and that opinion mirrors his stance. Pane answered the two questions about voting for mayor and council in one reply: 'Privacy in the voting booth allows voters to make decisions based on their own beliefs and preferences without feeling pressured to conform to the views of others. Voters are free to vote honestly and independently when their choices are confidential and it is the cornerstone of our democracy. Such questions would only promote more division in our already fractured community where we should be promoting unity instead. When I first became involved in politics, a good friend told me when someone tells you they will vote for you, you really can't believe them. He told me the only person you can believe 100% is the person who tells you they are not voting for you.' Marc Pane, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Republican primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF MARC PANE) The three council seats available are those of Schuster and two held by Bill King and council President Gerald Smurl. King and Smurl are not running in the primary for reelection. Winners of the primary will advance to run in the Nov. 4 general election. The three winners of the general election would join on council the other two members not up for reelection this year: Mark McAndrew and Jessica Rothchild. * Virgil Argenta, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary for Scranton City Council. (IMAGE PROVIDED / COURTESY OF VIRGIL ARGENTA) * Patrick Flynn, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF PATRICK FLYNN) * Frankie Malacaria, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF FRANKIE MALACARIA) * Sean McAndrew, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF SEAN McANDREW) * Todd Pousley, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF TODD POUSLEY) * Scranton Councilman Tom Schuster,a candidate for re-election in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF TOM SCHUSTER) * Marc Pane, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Republican primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF MARC PANE) Show Caption 1 of 7 Virgil Argenta, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary for Scranton City Council. (IMAGE PROVIDED / COURTESY OF VIRGIL ARGENTA) Expand
