HARRISBURG, Pa. — Harrisburg mayor Wanda Williams is three months into her first term in office.
“I’ve only been here 83 days. There’s a lot I had to tackle, there was a lot that was left undone,” said Williams.
It’s been a busy start to 2022, tackling issues in the city she grew up in.
Williams is the second female and second Black mayor of the predominantly multi-cultural town.
“I was a little concerned that if I didn’t get this position, the residents would be the ones who suffered,” Williams explained.
Gun violence has taken center stage in Harrisburg as of late.
Williams believes the city is doing what it can to combat the problem, but says those committing the crimes need to take responsibility too.
“What you’re doing is making the city look bad and what we’re trying to do is revitalize the city, we’re trying to make sure people know it’s safe to live here, to work and play,” said Williams.
Another large task for the mayor’s office is deciding how to spend more than $40 million in American Rescue Plan funding.
“We’re delving into all the comments from residents and trying to put a package together to find out what we’re going to do exactly,” said Williams.
One of her top priorities with that money is creating more affordable housing across the city.
“There’s residents here now who have landlords who have had exuberant increases in their rent, and they cannot afford that,” explained Williams.
She says her biggest goal is remaining upfront and honest with residents.
“It’s their money as well and they need to have a say in what we do with this money,” said Williams. “It’s really important that we reach out. I will always have transparency.”