In Easton mayor race, Panto outraises Melan while Melan outspends Panto

Photo by Donna Fisher

Incumbent Sal Panto outraised challenger Peter Melan by more than 2-to-1 headed into the final weeks of their showdown over who will serve Easton as mayor through 2027. But Melan outspent Panto by $10,000.

Panto, 71, raised $62,890 this year through May 1, campaign finance records show. Easton Council member Melan, 48, raised $23,665 during the same period. Both are Democrats; no Republican is in the race.

Two weeks ahead of Tuesday’s primary, Panto’s campaign reported $60,743 in cash on hand after spending $7,110 through May 1. Melan’s campaign showed a $9,602 balance after spending $17,144.

About a third of Panto’s money ($20,000) came from political action committees, compared to about a fourth ($5,000) for Melan. All of Melan’s PAC money came from AFSCME #33, a Philadelphia-based labor union.

Panto’s PAC support came from Vision Committee, Harrisburg, $10,000; Bridge Across Pennsylvania, $5,000; electrical workers’ union IBEW, Washington, D.C., $2,500; and Pennoni PAC, Philadelphia, $2,500.

Panto received nearly $3,000 from individuals giving between $50 and $250, including $150 from former mayor Phil Mitman. The bulk of Panto’s money – $39,900 – came from individuals giving more than $250 apiece.

Those contributions include: $5,000 from Robert Sell, CEO of Accenture, New York, and Susan Sell; $2,000 from attorney Christian Perrucci, Bethlehem; $1,500 apiece from Andrew Miller of Perkasie, Craig and Jennifer Johnson of Coopersburg, and Peter Cooper, Allentown; $1,000 apiece from Louis Pector III of Ashley Development and from David Scheurmann, Bethlehem, of Scheurmann Excavating, Whitehall.

Melan collected $8,115 from individuals giving up to $250 – fully half of it from supporters contributing $50 or less. He took in another $10,550 from supporters giving more than $250 each.

Those contributions include: Nicole Cooper, Easton, $3,500; and $1,000 apiece from attorney Steven Goudsouzian of Hellertown and from James Hughes, Easton, CEO of Unity Bank, Clinton, N.J.