SCRANTON, PA. – The City of Scranton’s proposed 2026 operating budget will not include a municipal tax increase, Mayor Paige G. Cognetti announced today.
“Following years of responsible fiscal and project management, we are pleased to announce that the 2026 Budget will keep tax rates flat,” Mayor Cognetti said. “I appreciate our skilled team at City Hall for controlling costs, completing projects within budget, and respecting taxpayer dollars as we continue building a capable, responsive, transparent city government.”
“We are making progress in Scranton without hurting our taxpayers,” Scranton City Council President Gerald Smurl said. “I look forward to reviewing the proposed 2026 budget with the rest of City Council knowing we can offer our residents some relief.”
The 2026 budget marks the fourth time that Mayor Cognetti has proposed a Scranton operating budget that did not increase taxes. Proposed budgets have maintained taxes in 2021, 2022, 2025, and now in 2026. Modest increases of 2 percent were approved in both 2023 and 2024. The City will also combine land and improvement values in its 2026 property tax estimates.
The operating budget outlines expected revenues and expenditures, and it must be proposed annually by the mayor to City Council by November 15. Public hearings on the budget must take place by December 1, after which City Council may adopt or amend the budget by December 15.
City Council unanimously adopted the 2026 capital budget, as proposed, at its Sept. 30, 2025, meeting. The capital budget establishes a plan for a total of $64.4 million in major improvements throughout the City and across departments including the Scranton Police Department, Scranton Fire Department, Department of Public Works, and Parks and Recreation Department.
Since exiting the Act 47 municipal financial distress program in 2022, the City has enjoyed continued positive economic growth. Standard & Poor’s (S&P) upgraded Scranton’s credit rating four times since exiting Act 47, with a current rating of BBB+. Scranton received the Secretary’s Award for Municipal Excellence from Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development in April 2025, recognizing the city as a place where local leaders are committed to dynamic change for the betterment of residents, businesses, and neighborhoods.
ABOUT THE CITY OF SCRANTON: Incorporated in 1866, the City of Scranton has a population of approximately 76,000 residents and is the sixth-largest municipality in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Scranton City Hall is located at 340 N. Washington Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. Residents requiring services should visit www.scrantonpa.gov
ABOUT MAYOR PAIGE G. COGNETTI: Paige G. Cognetti was sworn in as the 36th Mayor of Scranton in January 2020. Her administration is focused on driving economic growth, upgrading infrastructure, ensuring public safety, fostering government transparency and efficiency, and improving residents’ overall quality of life.
Mayor Cognetti: “No City Tax Increase in 2026” | Press Release
Last modified: October 20, 2025
