Lancaster City Democrats Endorse for Mayor, Council, other Key Races in 2025 Primary Election

LANCASTER, Pa., Feb. 11, 2025 – At last evening’s endorsement convention, members of the Lancaster City Democratic Committee voted to endorse the following candidates for the 2025 Primary Election:

Mayor
Jaime Arroyo

City Council
Ahmed Ahmed
Nancy Millan
Marshall Miller

City Controller
Randall Grossman

School District of Lancaster Director (4 Year Term)
Jen Van Buskirk Eaton
Luis Morales
Anita Pilkerton-Plumb
David Parry

School District of Lancaster Director (2 Year Term)
Denisha Gantz

Magisterial District Judge 02-2-04
Andrew LeFever

The Committee declined to endorse a candidate for the fourth available City Council seat. In the absence of a complete slate, Committee People are permitted to work with unendorsed candidates. However, per the Committee bylaws, they may not work in opposition to any endorsed candidate.

Nominees for endorsement followed the established process outlined in the Committee bylaws. This included declaring their intent to run by notifying the Committee Chair in writing by January 2, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. The list of candidates who declared their intent to run is available here. Those who declared their intent, completed a vetting questionnaire, and underwent a background check were invited to be interviewed by the nominating committee.

Vote YES to Study Home Rule

Exploring Home Rule for Lancaster City

On May 16, 2023, voters will have a historic opportunity to decide whether the City of Lancaster should explore home rule. Since 1953, Lancaster City has operated under a third-class city charter that limits local authority. A home rule charter would give Lancaster City residents greater control over what happens in their own community, which could lower property taxes and improve city services, among other benefits.

Voting “Yes” on the May 16 ballot gives the City permission to study home rule, not enact it – a vote on whether to adopt a home rule charter would occur no earlier than November 2024. In the upcoming May 16 election, voters will also be asked to select nine commissioners for a Home Rule Study Commission.

All of the below candidates are Democrats running for the Home Rule Study Commission:

• Carl Feldman, Policy Specialist, Pennsylvania Dept. of Human Services

• Brian Adams, Associate Teaching Professor of Mathematical Sciences, Penn State Harrisburg

• Michael Rowan, Small Business Owner

• Marshall Miller, Chair, Lancaster City Democratic Committee

• Amy Ruffo, Communications Director, Fair Districts PA

• Maxine Cook, Assistant Director of Faculty Affairs, Lincoln University

What will the Home Rule Study Commission do?

The first task of the Home Rule Study Commission will be to provide an objective assessment of the current form of City government. The Commission will then evaluate alternatives and determine whether to recommend home rule. If so, the Commission will draft a home rule charter to put before Lancaster City voters for approval.

What would home rule mean for Lancaster City?

If Lancaster City embraces home rule, it will not be alone: 26 cities, seven counties, and 56 other municipalities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have adopted it. Home rule transfers the authority to act from state law to a local charter, offering limited independence within the confines of the Pennsylvania and US Constitutions. The key benefit is that localities can develop governance that more closely meets the needs of their citizens.

Lancaster City’s current city charter lacks that flexibility. For example, as the costs of city services have risen, Lancaster City has been compelled to rely too heavily on property tax increases, because that’s the only tax the City has the power to control. Rates for local services taxes, earned income taxes, and real estate transfer taxes are set by state law – and the latter two have not changed since 1965. Under home rule, all those revenue sources would be controlled locally by City Council.

Vote YES to study Home Rule on May 16th!