Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District, proposed raising taxes to fund a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) officer position. The proposed budget for 2023 included a 3% property tax increase, estimated to generate $957,000, to cover costs for several new hires, including the DEI coordinator, which would have cost $25,500. However, this budget was not adopted.
Cognetti's proposal reflects her views on the importance of diversity in government as she campaigns to unseat incumbent Rep. Rob Bresnahan, R-Pa. In a podcast, she stated, "We’re not doing this for the publicity. We’re doing this quietly so that these conversations just become the norm."
The Cognetti campaign highlighted that Bresnahan’s company has received government assistance for being women-owned, which aligns with DEI policies. Bresnahan’s company, Kuharchik Construction Inc., has received $162,000 in federal contracts since 2008.
Despite her focus on reducing government spending, Cognetti believes that diversity should be prioritized in government resources. She noted that her previous budget proposal for a DEI coordinator was cut without public discussion. Cognetti emphasized that her hiring practices have naturally led to greater diversity in government roles, stating, "When you walk into City Hall today, there are far more people of color and far more women working there than you would have seen four years ago."