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Meet the candidates: City website posts statements from home rule commission hopefuls

Prospective candidates for the home rule study commission stand up to introduce themselves during a community meeting at Ebenezer Baptist Church on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. (Photo: Tim Stuhldreher)

As promised, Lancaster’s city government has posted information about the May primary’s candidates for home rule study commissioner on its website.

As of Monday, short statements and accompanying photos had been posted for 12 of the 17 declared candidates. The other five are invited to submit information to city communication strategist Wyatt Behringer.

The home rule commission candidates include small business owners, community activists and others. An 18th candidate, county controller Lisa Colon, withdrew her name in mid-March.

City voters will be asked on Tuesday, May 16, if they approve authorizing a commission to study home rule. They are also being asked to vote for nine candidates to serve on the commission if it is formed.

The commission is nonpartisan, so all city voters, regardless of party affiliation, can weigh in on the matter.

Should the commission be formed and, after study, conclude that home rule is warranted, it would then draft a home rule charter, which would be put to voters in a second referendum, most likely in November 2024.

Mayor Danene Sorace says enacting home rule would allow the city to ease pressure on property taxes by shifting some of the burden to the earned income tax, something it cannot do under its existing legal framework.

Home rule commission candidates

  • Brian Adams
  • Peter Barber
  • Darlene Byrd
  • Maxine Cook
  • Ted Darcus
  • Tony Dastra
  • Elizabeth Elias
  • Wes Farmer
  • Carl Feldman
  • Jacob Glensor
  • Dena Maounis
  • Andrew Marshall
  • Marshall Miller
  • John McGrann
  • Ezra Rothman
  • Michael Rowen
  • Amy Ruffo

Candidates listed in bold had statements posted as of April 7 at www.cityoflancasterpa.gov/home-rule/candidates/