Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse today made endorsements for three candidates for next month’s Democratic primary for City Council.
Papenfuse gave his nod to incumbent Jeff Baltimore and challengers Cornelius Johnson and Westburn Majors for the three four-year seats on council.
He said that Baltimore, Johnson and Majors are the best choices of the eight residents running for the full council term. He did not make an endorsement for the single, two-year seat.
Johnson, Papenfuse said, is a “young man who has incredible experience and insight” from his time as a Harrisburg health inspector and as the director of the health department of Susquehanna Township. “He wants to bring those skills to bear on City Council,” he added, describing him as a “can-do person.”
Papenfuse said that Majors, a registered lobbyist for Gmerek Government Relations, would deliver knowledge of how best to work with the state government. He said that Baltimore, in his year on council, has shown himself to be conscientious, open-minded and fair.
He also gave an anti-endorsement to a single candidate, Brad Koplinski, whom he accused of needless obstruction on council, particularly regarding a bill for property tax abatement that the mayor proposed last year. “There has to be fresh, independent, new voices,” Papenfuse said.
The primary is set for May 19.The other candidates for the four-year seats are Jeremiah, Chamberlin, Ron Chapel, Brad Koplinski, Rhonda Mays and Ellis R. Roy. No Republicans are running in the primary.
Papenfuse made the endorsements while being interviewed as a guest on this week’s episode of TheBurg Podcast.
