Scranton mayoral candidates stressed priorities like crime, healthcare, and road improvements in a debate on Thursday ahead of the election next month.

SCRANTON, Pa. — At the University of Scranton on Thursday night, all four candidates vying to be the next mayor of the Electric City went head-to-head in a debate discussing several topics. They each started with what they thought was the most important thing the next mayor of Scranton needed to focus on.

Candidates Gene Barrett and Trish Beynon focused on crime. “One of the major priorities is safety within the city of Scranton,” said mayoral candidate Barrett.

“I definitely think we have to back the blue as much as possible,” said Beynon, the Republican mayoral candidate.

Current Mayor Paige Cognetti (D) focused on healthcare, “We have a healthcare crisis here in Scranton as Regional Hospital may close,” said Cognetti.

Mayoral candidate Rik Little focused on the county’s home rule charter. “The county has a home rule charter, and it’s behind the times,” said Little.

Another question raised was about roads and how candidates would plan on fixing them if they were mayor. Candidates Beynon and Barrett have been campaigning on fixing Scranton’s road conditions.

“Utility companies they come in, they’ll rip something up right after it gets done, there’s no coordination, coordination is key, it needs to be done, it starts at city hall,” said Beynon.

“I think there’s a great opportunity to work with those utilities for a total reconstruction or a total paving once they’re finished,” said Barrett.

Candidates also touched on putting more money towards improving stormwater lines.

“We should use the ARPA funds to help, maybe with more stormwater repairs, I think that money is there, it’s usable,” said Beynon.

“We have used Rescue plan money to do almost 25 million dollars of stormwater projects throughout the entire city, that’s more than 1/3 of the rescue plan money going towards stormwater,” said Cognetti.

Candidates also brought up the fact that if Mayor Cognetti were to win her congressional race, she would not be able to serve her entire term as mayor.

“I want to be your mayor; I don’t want to be anything else. I’m not looking for another job,” said Barrett.

“I’m here for the next four years to do the best job I can for everybody, that’s what you pay me for, that’s what I’m going to do, and I’m not going anywhere,” said Beynon.

“If I am elected to Congress in 2026, I will make damn sure that in 2027, there is someone sitting on this debate stage that I can pass the torch to continue to make progress,” said Cognetti.

Election day is less than a month away, Tuesday, November 4th.