SCRANTON, Pennsylvania— This week, Scranton Mayor Paige G. Cognetti joined mayors from across Pennsylvania as part of the “Mayors Are Rebuilding PA: American Rescue Plan Funding at Work” tour, which aims to highlight how American Rescue Plan funding is building stronger communities across Pennsylvania. Mayor Cognetti shared the impact of the city’s investment of American Rescue Plan funds by highlighting grant recipient Outreach – Center for Community Resources, whose ARPA funds have supported multiple education programs.
The tour started in Scranton, Pa., and will travel to Williamsport, Allentown, and Lancaster, with a special stop in Harrisburg to meet with Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis.
“Rescue Plan funds are working in communities like Scranton because our programs are tailored to each city’s unique needs,” Mayor Cognetti said. “Outreach is just one of the many important community partners and applicants who are helping us address the needs of residents in critical ways. I’m excited to see what my fellow mayors are building in their communities as we travel through Pennsylvania this week.”
The mayors are now on their way to Columbus, Ohio, where they will be joining mayors from Pennsylvania and across the country for the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 91st Annual Meeting to explore solutions to some of the most pressing issues facing America’s cities today, including the surging mental health crisis, the growing number of state legislatures preempting local authority, gun violence, homelessness, and more.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM), the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more, worked closely with the Biden-Harris Administration to ensure the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act, which provided an historic $65.1 billion directly to America’s cities.
Highlights from each city stop include:
Scranton: Combating learning loss as a result of the pandemic and expanding educational opportunities and STEM programs for students living in low-income communities.
Williamsport: Investing in city parks and youth recreation, including a new community splash pad at Shaw Place Park.
Allentown: Strengthening the city’s critical infrastructure, including storm-water improvements.
Lancaster: Creating and preserving affordable housing units.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) OF 2021: ARPA is a $1.9 trillion federal economic stimulus bill. The City of Scranton received $68.7 million in ARPA funds to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency and its economic impacts. The mission of Scranton’s ARPA program is to give people access to resources, rebuild the infrastructure systems that impact their everyday lives, and foster equitable wealth generation that targets the needs of Scranton residents.
Last modified: August 2, 2023
