Peter Melan challenges incumbent Sal Panto Jr. in Easton mayoral Democratic primary
Candidates share hopes and concerns
Peter Melan, a self-described “outlier” on Easton City Council, hopes to prevent Mayor Sal Panto Jr. from winning a seventh term this year.
Both men are Democrats running in the May 16 primary; no Republican is in the race. The job pays $99,491 this year.
Melan, 48, lives in College Hill and runs Polity, a political consulting business. His seven years on council are dwarfed by Panto’s 23 years as mayor.
Panto, 71, lives in the South Side. Starting in 1984, Panto served two four-year terms before moving to the private sector. He ran again successfully in 2007 and has held the office since.
Melan, who moved to the city in 1999, is itching for a change for himself and the city. His campaign calls for new leadership to guide Easton through an era that’s already seen “monumental growth with unprecedented development,” especially downtown.
Melan worries those advances may be overrunning essentials such as sufficient parking. “Development downtown is good, but the infrastructure has to keep up,” he said. “We’ve already lost control of a lot of the [city’s] charm.”
In a campaign video, Panto heralds the downtown development as providing the revenues needed to keep taxes level and lift all neighborhoods.
“I’ve never, ever raised your property taxes and I never plan on doing that,” Panto says in the video. “Economic development in downtown is giving us the ability to do development [in] all the neighborhoods.”
The city’s tax rate of 24.95 mills has not changed since 2008, although it is the highest local rate among Northampton County municipalities.
Panto also celebrated development, cost savings from debt restructuring and a host of other city advances in his 2023 “State of the City” address.
"Our city is wiser, stronger and more determined than ever," Panto said. "The state of our city is strong."
Panto also noted that four years ago he predicted his current mayoral term would be his last. But he told his audience that the crucible of steering the city through the COVID-19 pandemic left him with a perspective “that inspires … and ignites us.
“As mayor, I can tell you, it’s been a time of doubts and distress,” he said, “but ultimately, one of proven resilience and courage by our city and my staff and it didn’t diminish our drive to move Easton forward.”
A change in government structure?
Melan said he wants not only a new mayor but also a new form of government. Having a mayor who’s a chief executive and council president with a vote on legislation concentrates two branches of government in one person, he says.
He wants to provide voters the option of changing the city’s home rule charter to remove the mayor as head of council, and also limit a mayor to two terms. Doing that, he says, would more clearly define the roles and responsibilities of city leaders.
“Government succeeds with leaders who bring fresh and new ideas to the table,” Melan said. “I have been an outlier in my seven years (on council), regularly challenging the status quo, seeking accountability, advocating for sound fiscal policy and promoting transparency.”
Asked about his outlier tag, Melan said: “I’m the only one who asks the questions that are difficult. I feel like I’ve become somewhat of the villain on council. But I tend to vote against things I philosophically object to.”
Melan alone voted last December against the city’s 2023 budget because of its forecast of a 45 percent increase in earned income tax revenue compared to 2022.
In 2019, during his last campaign for council and as council was boosting the mayor’s salary, Melan proposed cutting the pay for council members in half, from $9,371 to $4,686 at the time. His legislation died when no one seconded it, according to LehighValleyLive.
The city’s population climbed above 28,000 in 2021, up from 26,700 a decade earlier, the Census Bureau estimates.
Neighborhood unity, government openness and financial transparency are the pillars of Melan’s mayoral platform. His said he wants to use data and technology “to bring people together and boost efficiency and let people see what’s happening to hold government accountable.”
That’s what his company offers customers, but he said it would be prohibited from doing business with the city if he was mayor.
Melan was named Macungie borough manager in 2021 but left after one month, saying the job was not what he expected.
Panto, in his city status report in March, said the city emerged from the pandemic in good shape for future growth, partly by restructuring debt and earning a higher bond rating, which reduces borrowing costs. The city also supported small business and public safety during the health crisis.
"That is remarkable for a city to not only maintain our credit rating but [also] get an increase," Panto said.
The mayor also celebrated an era of “unprecedented growth” that includes large apartment buildings and complexes. He vowed to remain focused on fundamentals such as public safety, cleanliness and service to residents.
Easton’s economic health, which includes such neighborhood issues as affordable housing, homelessness, inflation and hunger, remains a top concern, he said.
“Our goal is now to manage this growth so we don't lose all those assets of being a small city," Panto said, echoing a concern of Melan’s.
 | A guest post by
|