Primary election 2023: Reading mayor

Four Democratic candidates are seeking the nomination in the May 16 primary election for a four-year term as mayor of Reading.

The mayor will be paid an annual salary of $90,750, beginning in January.

The candidates were asked to respond to the following questions:

Question 1: How would you allocate the remaining $25 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds?

Question 2:  How should the city-owned buildings at 431-449 Penn St. be developed and what would you do to help make that happen?

Incumbents are denoted by an asterisk. Here are their responses:

Eddie Moran*

Age: 55

Occupation: Mayor of Reading

Response 1: My administration is committed to spending the remaining ARP dollars on various infrastructure and capital improvement projects across our city for the betterment of our residents. These dollars are once-in-a-generation and have the potential to transform Reading. However, these are still finite resources, and so my job as mayor is to use these dollars on projects that will have that maximum impact on everyday life for the people of Reading. I look forward to working collaboratively with the City Council to finalize how the rest of the funding will be allocated.

Response 2: As mayor, I am very open to many possibilities. It is very evident that under my leadership we have had the most economic mobility on the Penn Street core. I have had great success by bringing in and supporting Alvernia University CollegeTowne and other new business ventures. More specifically, 431 and 449 have undergone a formal bid process, and, unfortunately, the attempts have not met our city vision. I am also exploring the possibility of a land bank, and perhaps I may consider having a private-public partnership. As mayor, what I do not want is to sell the building to a private developer and have the same experience that we have had in the past.

Maria Arias

Age:  Not provided

Occupation: Accountant

Response 1: I can see how we can have provisions to help families to get out of foreclosing and behind property taxes. I want to know if I can help homeless people.

Response 2: These buildings have the potential for development. We would be looking for developers, but they can tell us what they want to do there. I also believe that $1 million is setting there that no one can use.

Celines Ekvall

Did not respond.

Nelton Manon

Did not respond.

Source: Berkshire mont