The donor list for Jaime Arroyo’s mayoral campaign is a sprawling lineup of who’s who in the Lancaster political and business worlds — a stark contrast to opponent Janet Diaz whose most recent campaign finance report shows a single local donor.
Many Democratic elected officials and committee members in the county have thrown their financial support behind Arroyo for the party’s nomination in the May 20 primary, his campaign finance report shows. Donors include Mayor Danene Sorace, City Council President Amanda Bakay, School District of Lancaster board member Molly Henderson, state Rep. Nikki Rivera and county Commissioner Alice Yoder.
Former mayors Janice Stork and Rick Gray also donated to Arroyo. The city Democratic committee backed up its endorsement of Arroyo with a $1,000 contribution.
Local business and nonprofit leaders are funding Arroyo too, including Lancaster County Community Foundation President and CEO Sam Bressi, SACA CEO Jose Lopez and Two Dudes Painting owner Peter Barber.
All together, Arroyo has raised around $47,500 since January.
READ: Lancaster’s 2 mayoral candidates set to participate in town hall this weekend
Diaz’s campaign finance report tells a different story. Her donors are mostly out-of-towners, including a member of the Montgomery County Democrats, a Lebanon city council candidate and a staffer for U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Philadelphia.
Just one Lancaster County resident gave to Diaz’s campaign — a gastroenterologist at Lancaster General Health, where Diaz works as a stroke registrar. Since January, she’s raised just over $3,000.
The largest single donation to Diaz’s campaign this year came from the Pennsylvania Democratic Latino Caucus, which gave her $2,000 after endorsing her mayoral bid. Diaz currently serves as the chair of the Latino Caucus with plans to step down in June.
She did not respond to a request for comment for this story.
‘Build on the foundation’
Diaz has framed herself as a candidate who doesn’t fit into the “club” of party insiders. She’s used campaign literature to set herself apart from the current mayoral administration, telling voters that an Arroyo administration would be a continuation of Sorace’s.
Diaz says Sorace has mismanaged the city budget and relied too much on borrowing to fund city operations.
Arroyo said he wants to build on Sorace’s accomplishments, noting the city has “benefitted from great leadership” for years. He supported major initiatives adopted under the Sorace administration — like home rule, pedestrian safety plan Vision Zero, and the 2023 comprehensive plan — and intends to continue those programs as mayor.
“I see it as grabbing the baton and trying to take (the city) further,” Arroyo said. “I have my own leadership style, but I hope to build on the foundation that’s there.”
Supporters say Arroyo’s business background (he currently serves as the CEO of nonprofit business incubator ASSETS) prepared him to lead the city as its top executive. Walt Rowen, a city resident and CEO of Columbia-based Susquehanna Glass Company, said Arroyo has a sense of fiscal “sensibility,” pointing to Arroyo’s backing of the new home rule charter, which allowed the city to raise income taxes to avoid a $10 million deficit. Rowen donated $200 to Arroyo’s campaign.
Bob Hollister, the former Eastern Lancaster County School District superintendent who ran unsuccessfully against Congressman Lloyd Smucker in 2022 and for county commissioner in 2023, said Arroyo’s focus on business and economics will “take the city to the next level.” He donated $250.
Gray, who was mayor from 2006-2018, said Arroyo’s plans to promote local businesses are “exciting.” Arroyo has proposed simplifying the city’s permitting process to make it easier for small businesses to get their start.
It’s not a knock against Arroyo that he wants to build off of the Sorace administration’s accomplishments, Gray said. Stability is important in local government, he said, where services like police, fire and streets should be top of mind for leaders.
“I don’t think we need radical change in the City of Lancaster,” Gray said. “We need services to be provided, and we need some forward looking on issues. Jaime would do that.”
READ: Lancaster mayoral candidate Jaime Arroyo goes solo at debate; Janet Diaz doesn’t show
Going against the grain
Some voters are anxious for a change, though, and are attracted to Diaz’s outsider persona. She’s proven popular in past citywide races, like her 2017 and 2021 bids for City Council where she was the top vote getter both years.
North Street resident Erin Dixon said Diaz rejects the “status quo” of the city’s Democratic leadership. Dixon said the city needs a leader who is open to diverse ideas. Diaz, she said, doesn’t support policies simply because it’s popular with the majority.
“In any city, it’s not good to have one party, one mindset, no one challenging the status quo. I don’t think that’s good for the growth of the city,” Dixon said.
Dixon pointed to Diaz’s opposition to the home rule charter, which she said she also opposed because it came at a “cost to residents,” referring to this year’s income tax increase. Diaz was the sole council member to vote against the tax hike and advocated that council adopt a tax exemption program for low-income residents.
East Walnut Street resident Barbara Laird said Diaz cares more about residents than any other city official. She’s worried about the cost of living as a result of home rule and doesn’t feel like the current administration pays attention to resident concerns.
“I know (Diaz) to be hardworking, a phenomenal listener, willing to learn anything, and gosh as honest as the day is long,” Laird said.
Recent controversy stemming from Diaz’s social media accounts have pushed some voters away from her, though.
While Reynolds Avenue resident Rei Serrano agrees with Diaz’s push to establish tax protections for low-income residents, he said Diaz “tucks her tail and runs” whenever she’s challenged or attempted to be held accountable.
Since April, Diaz has faced calls to resign her seat on council and abandon her mayoral campaign over a Facebook post that she’s denied making. The post, shared to her personal Facebook page, urged followers to back City Council candidates who were born and raised in Lancaster, a barb against fellow council member Ahmed Ahmed who came to Lancaster as a refugee from the African nation of Chad when he was a young child.
Serrano said he’s pushed back against Diaz’s commentary on Facebook surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict and was later blocked from viewing her page.
“It seems like any time she’s confronted with anything that challenges her moral compass, she either backs down or blocks people,” Serrano said. “That doesn’t seem to be someone who’s strong minded to be in a political atmosphere.”
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