Fox News reports that records show Paige Cognetti, the Democratic mayor of Scranton and a candidate for the U.S. House in Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District, once proposed a property tax increase in a city budget that included funding for a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) role. The matter is being raised as Cognetti seeks to unseat incumbent Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan in one of the country's most competitive districts, with the article framing the proposal as a reflection of her views on pursuing demographic representation in government.

A "DEI coordinator" was listed among eight new hires in Scranton's proposed 2023 budget, with $25,500 set aside for the position. To cover that role and others — including a police chief, fire chief, business administrator, solicitor and public works director, costing an estimated $380,500 in total — the budget proposed a 3% property tax rise expected to raise $957,000, though the budget was ultimately not adopted. Responding, Cognetti's campaign pointed to Bresnahan's company, Kuharchik Construction, which it says has identified as "disadvantaged and women-owned" to secure federal contracts, noting the firm has received $162,000 in such contracts since 2008.