Councilor Amanda Bakay

Vaccines are now open to everyone 16 and older. The South Asian Association of Lancaster continues to hold weekend vaccination events and just opened slots for Pfizer dose #1 this Saturday. Let's get that vaccine Lancaster!

The headline of the article is misleading. The ordinance we are considering allows the City to set rules and limitations on such devices since they were recently approved in the PA State Legislature. It actually prevents them from operating in Lancaster without submitting a specific route, set speed of travel, and other considerations for approval. THEN and only then COULD they be allowed.

FREE COVID-19 testing will be held in Lancaster County January 12th - 16th. You don't need to be showing symptoms or to see a doctor before you go- just make an appointment!

10:00am TOMORROW! 11/23/20 Gunterberg Foundation, LCBP & LCBF will be distributing Thanksgiving Meal boxes. Location: Fire Station 3 - 333 East King St. Everyone is welcome, please wear a mask.

Going forward, City Council regular meetings (the second and fourth Tuesday of the month) will begin at 6:30 p.m. instead of 7:30 p.m. beginning October 13. https://bit.ly/34qOchE

My each and every, This is a long one, but please read to the end. Perhaps fittingly, it has been a long night, and a long year. In the light of day, we will no...w see a near endless stream of commentary on the events of last evening. I have much to say, but first: Ricardo Muñoz deserves, by virtue of being human, to have his name said aloud. Not to lionize anything at all, but that this is what we all deserve. This must be the approach we take in any forward movement from this point - what do we all deserve? Much of the community will want to have a conversation about the killing of Mr. Muñoz by a Lancaster City police officer, and they will want to have it terms of "justified" or "unjustified" and that will be the beacon by which they set their commentary on the reaction to his death. This is glib. We cannot, must not, attempt to reduce generations of grief, fear, rage, and trauma to a single event that we deem "right" or "wrong" so that we can wash our hands of it and return to something called normal. As a matter of fact, I don't really want to talk much about last evening. My understanding is that Mr. Muñoz aged out of supportive mental health care services when he turned 18, and I wonder if the presence of those services could have prevented yesterday's events. I don't wonder if we failed him and his family last night; I believe that we have been failing them for years. Years ago, and perhaps this is a dangerous admission for an elected official, I was at one of my lowest points. Suicidal, panicky, unpredictable. 6'4, and close to three hundred pounds at the time. My mother called 911, and the person that arrived was a Crisis Intervention Specialist. He talked me down, and sat with me for over an hour. That man saved my life. Had it been an armed police officer, nervous about the large man of color who was identified in the dispatch call, I probably would not be writing this to you. Instead, I would be lucky to be a hashtag. What does everyone deserve, and what do we all deserve? Grace, love, enduring compassion and a society organized to provide those things to all persons, regardless. We would be safer as individuals, and healthier as a community. It would save all our lives. By the way, the County defunded that Crisis Intervention Specialist position for operations within the City. Turns out they do know what the word "defund" means. -- We must, at the very least, begin to retreat from policing as the only form of public safety, and turn those funds to providing social work, crisis intervention and real community investment in housing and healthcare. All of these things are suicide prevention, all of these things are human rights. I am calling for a Countywide transition to overhaul our 911 dispatch, reducing our reliance on policing, and directing calls to newly formed Crisis Intervention and Social Work departments that exist outside of the policing structures. I am further demanding that the County: 1) increase their investment in behavioral health services 2) create 5 Crisis Intervention positions for Lancaster County, FY2021 3) maintain COVID-19 levels of investment (unprecedented in Lancaster County) in eviction prevention and housing services going forward, and treat our housing crisis as the new normal 4) raise 911-dispatcher salaries to a living wage immediately. They must do so now, and the municipalities of the County must sign on to these changes, and begin reimagining their own public safety in coordination with bold leadership from the County. This summer, I have almost been run over by a man who has still not been arrested. I have been pepper-sprayed and gassed by police officers, and threatened by them when I was trying to protect them. When I am out in the street, I am safer than 90% of Black and Brown Lancastrians would be in that situation, and still. This cannot stand. We must reimagine public safety as investment in our communities. I am not asking that this change be made overnight, but we have been waiting too long, and must begin walking that path. Elected officials of Lancaster County, we are being called on to make change to protect human life. We must rise to the occasion. -- My thoughts for the rest of today will be only this task, and everyone who cold-showered the tear gas off their bodies in the middle of the night and woke up today and went back to work for Lancaster. You honor my home, and you honor me. More tomorrow. Love, Ismail Smith-Wade-El #forgeahead

A family in our city has experienced a senseless tragedy. De-escalation and non-lethal force, when necessary, should be used on police calls instead of making a split decision to end a life. If our officers are unable to do this, we must find a better way to handle these types of calls and allow professionals trained in mental health and peaceful de-escalation to take the lead.

Today we celebrate World Refugee Day. I am proud that refugees from all over the world call the City of Lancaster home. Refugees leave their homes for reasons beyond their control and often face immeasurable struggles to come here. They do not need prove themselves worthy of being our neighbors and yet, we are truly better as a community because of their contributions big and small.

Today is Juneteenth. It marks the day in 1865 that the federal orders of emancipation from slavery reached Galveston, Texas, which was two years after it had been passed. Like the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation, true freedom for Black Americans has moved slowly and unevenly. From school segregation, to redlining in housing, to cash bail systems, and police brutality, our society is still struggling with what freedom really means. White supremacy has a hold on e...verything from our history books to where we put our voting booths and we must recognize this and actively fight against it. Today (and every day, actually) I encourage people to do a few things: - Keep learning - Listen to Black voices and let them lead - Support a Black-owned business and/or make a donation to support Black-led causes - Be actively anti-racist and teach your children to do the same

VIRTUAL TOWNHALL TONIGHT @ 5:00pm! Let's get real about what is happening in our city around policing. We need your voices to not only be heard because your sto...ries hold power but because it's time our our people took the lead on some of the decision making Artist Credit: Dyneisha Gross

Today was a difficult day for Lancaster and I realize that it may not be over yet. I joined the protest today to stand in solidarity with the people of color in our city who are hurting. I also wanted to help keep the people of my city safe while they exercised their right to protest. I want to be absolutely clear that the protest was peaceful and that I saw people stepping up to help each other whether it was to offer them water or to deescalate a heated situation. There wer...e people from outside of this city who came here with the intent to do harm and to instigate. Some of those people may have been members of a white nationalist group, but I cannot be certain of that at this time. There were also instances in which police officers unnecessarily escalated a situation. Some of these police where from within our community and some where not. Thank you to my fellow members of City Council, Councilor Ismail Smith-Wade-El, Councilor Xavier Garcia-Molina, and Councilor Jaime Arroyo for showing leadership and courage today. I understand that, as a white woman, my job here is to listen and let people of color guide this conversation. I look forward to doing just that and I will do everything I can to make sure your voices are heard and that systemic change happens in our city.

Please join me and Councilor Xavier Garcia-Molina for this important conversation on Tuesday evening.

The financial crisis that is occurring due to this pandemic will impact people in so many ways. Revenue losses to local governments aren't grabbing headlines (they should) but, they will certainly be felt when service levels cannot be maintained. Local governments employ over 450k people in PA and account for over 11% of our GDP. It's critical that our Federal Government provide financial relief for our cities and towns an it's terrible that there is more debate about it than there was about giving billions of dollars to the airline industry.

The thirteen elected officials that signed the May 9th letter to Governor Wolf declaring that they would move Lancaster County into the yellow designation of the phased reopening plan would like you to believe that their words are the only ones who represent the people of Lancaster County. I, and these twenty one other elected leaders representing municipalities and schools in this county would disagree. To say that Lancaster County should be able to partially reopen withou...t having any plan in place for the protection, health, and safety of our residents is reckless. There has been no move to increase testing. There is no plan to coordinate contact tracing efforts across the county. There is no fund to support business who have costs related to retrofitting their facilities. There is no PPE available to distribute to those businesses. Beyond deciding to defy our Governor's orders and go against the guidance of public health authorities, what is the plan? Residents of City of Lancaster and the county as a whole deserve answers to these questions. This letter is just words on paper unless we take our concerns to the sources. Our first opportunity to publicly do so will be tomorrow at 9:15am. I invite you to join me (virtually) at the County Commissioners meeting as we ask these important questions and more. The live stream can be viewed here: https://bit.ly/3fGvuHB Questions may be submitted in advance to [email protected].

Lancaster County has not met thresholds of new COVID-19 cases to move into the yellow phase- not even from one day to the next. While the City of Lancaster has begun a contact tracing program, the County as a whole lacks the overall infrastructure to do so. There has been no moves for mass testing. Even so, our Republican elected officials are ready to throw us to the wolves, explaining that the hospitals have enough room for the sick (as of today) when they inevitably arrive.... This lockdown is uncomfortable, I understand. And it has disproportionately effected the poor in our community. When we would rather throw up our hands and admit that some people will need to be sacrificed for the sake of the economy, then the cracks in our system become more apparent. We would rather open up bars and pay servers minimum wage than give people the tools to have the safety they deserve for as long as it takes to effectively fight this. It is shameful.

A Special Meeting of City Council will be held THURSDAY 4/16 at 2:30pm. The meeting will be virtual and will be streamed. The public will have the ability to participate over the phone at 717-517-5704. Follow the link below for all of the details. Our agenda consists of important items related to assisting residents and businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. After these three items, I am looking forward to acting on additional legislation that will no-doubt be needed in the future. Certainly one of the most important of these will be the the creation of a Public Health Department.

We have hope because we are hope. I was proud to attend this event today with other members of Lancaster Human Relations Commission and Board.

From my remarks this evening: I love this city and everything that makes it - the people, the neighborhoods, and our institutions - and I will always make those things my priority. I want them to thrive not only in 2020 but in 2040 and well beyond. Because Lancaster in the future will be our shared legacy. I know that tonight is celebratory and we’re supposed to enjoy this moment but I can’t help but think Let get to work. And, as a wise woman once said, I just said ‘Let’s get to work,’ how else do people enjoy things?

Tomorrow is Election Day! I am incredibly thankful to the people who volunteered their time to allow me to get to this point. A campaign isn’t about one person. It’s about the collective action and collective vision of lots of people who care about the same things. So, no matter if you knocked on a door for me or if you’ve answered your door to me over the past year: THANK YOU! I’ll see you at the polls tomorrow.

I am so glad I went out in the rain today to canvass. I got to hear from so many people about what matters to them. We talked about their parking concerns, how they help out their neighbors, and how they’re struggling to make ends meet. This is important work and I’m committed to showing up even when it’s not easy or comfortable to do it. Remember to vote on November 5th!

Today was a beautiful day to canvass and talk to voters in the Northeast. Thanks to all the volunteers who joined us across the city during our special Day of Action! Just one more month until Election Day!

Out at the 2019 Latin Music Festival registering new voters and talking to our neighbors about important issues!

It’s a beautiful day in Lancaster! Amanda and Jaime Arroyo for Lancaster are out registering voters at Clipper Magazine Stadium until 3pm.

After the rain, the block party was back on in SoWe! Hundreds of hot dogs, 160 free backpacks, kids enjoying yoga and even a tiny photo crasher! I am so proud to call this community home.

Proud to stand with my neighbors this afternoon as we reaffirm our commitment to welcome refugees here in Lancaster. There is a real possibility that next year, our country could accept NO refugees. This is unacceptable and our elected officials need to be held accountable if it is allowed to happen. One way we do this is by continuing to register new voters and engaging people in the political process to ensure their values are reflected in policy. Lancaster stands for welcome. We must not back down.

Out registering voters with volunteers from Lancaster Stands Up tonight!

Eat good food! Bring the family! Support great candidates! We knocked over 10,000 doors in the primary but our work isn't over! You can help us continue to reach out to people all over the city and engage them in local politics in a way that they simply haven't been reached before just by coming to this picnic! Tickets are just $10 and kids are FREE. ... Thanks to Lancaster Stands Up for their endorsement and for hosting this event.

Happy Pride, Lancaster! Find me at the Lancaster City Human Relations Commission and Lancaster County Democratic Committee tables this afternoon. Make sure to stay hydrated!

Happy Independence Day!

And remove those signs while you’re at it!

On this World Refugee Day I am proud to be living in America's refugee capital. Lancaster is a city of welcome and today, and every day, we should work to live up to that standard, love all of our neighbors, and support our refugee and immigrant communities when they are under attack from others.

We did it! This campaign was all about hard work- and not just mine. Volunteers and my fellow candidates, Jaime Arroyo for Lancaster and Xavier Garcia-Molina for City Council, worked tirelessly to knock doors and not just ask for people's votes, but also have conversations about what was important to them in their neighborhoods. While we may be enjoying victory today, we know that even harder and more important work is still ahead of us. So, as a personal hero of mine once said: "I just said 'Let's get to work' how else do people enjoy things?"

It’s been an amazing election day in Lancaster! Polls are open for another hour so make sure you get out and vote!

What’s your voting plan today? Mine is always first thing in the morning. Polls are open until 8pm!

Hundreds of signatures. Miles and miles walked all over the city. Thousands of doors (over 3k this weekend alone) and countless conversations with Lancastrians about their hopes for the city. This campaign has always been about listening to folks, and asking them about their priorities for their neighborhoods. While solutions may be different from block to block, what people want is a safe home, a sense of community, and city government that is accessible to everyone. Jaime Arroyo for Lancaster, Xavier Garcia-Molina for City Council and I are committed to making sure all voices are heard when it comes to these issues. I am proud to have run with them and hope that all three of us can count on your vote on Tuesday.

Thanks to LNP for hosting this candidate forum this evening. Due to technical issues the live feed was interrupted, but the full recording is now available here. I was glad for the opportunity to outline some of the ways we can have equitable economic growth, tackle the housing crisis, and improve the accessibility and transparency of our local government.

It's almost Election Day! On Tuesday, May 21st vote for Amanda Bakay to be your next City Councilwoman. Verify your polling place here: https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pa/PollingPlaceInfo.aspx , mark your calendar, and make a plan to vote!

Announcement: Be sure to tune in to the LNP online City Council candidate forum at 6pm tomorrow evening! I will be answering questions about city issues from the LNP editorial board.

Another amazing day canvassing in Lancaster! I have been overwhelmed by the support I am receiving from voters at the door. The conversations were having about housing, safety, and accessible government have made me proud to call these caring people my neighbors! There is still time to join our canvassing team! Sign up to be a part of our big push on Saturday, May 11th and Saturday, May 18th right here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050C48A4A92AA5FA7-2019... Let’s go voice our vote on May 21st! #Vote4Amanda

Thank you to the South Ann Street Concerned Neighbors for hosting a candidate forum tonight at Garden Court Apartments. I appreciate the dialogue that we got to share about issues in the Southeast and hope to be able to continue collaborating with you to find solutions as your next City Councilwoman.

I am so proud to have been endorsed by the Pennsylvania Young Democrats. In fact, a meeting of our local Lancaster County Young Democrats - PA is how I first learned about local politics in the City of Lancaster! Engaging young people in our political process is crucially important to making sure elected officials are making decisions that are good for our future and that are good for the interests of all people. #Vote4Amanda

Can you spare an hour or two to help me win on May 21st? I need volunteers to help knock on doors and talk to our neighbors. If you're new to canvassing, we can provide training and support! Fill out this easy form to volunteer with Democrats for Lancaster today.

I am proud to have received the endorsement of CASA in Action, the largest electoral organization fighting for immigrant rights in the Mid-Atlantic region. Whether we are fighting for affordable housing, increasing the minimum wage, access to health care, or joining our brothers and sisters from the Puerto Rican diaspora, we are endorsing these candidates because they understand these issues and are ready to work with us to find solutions. -Yaheiry Mora, Senior Director for CASA in Action. Thank you to CASA in Action for your support and all of your important work!

Need to register to vote, change your party affiliation, or update your address? April 22nd is your last day to do it before the primary! Check your voter registration status here: https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov//voterregistrationstatu

You, me, spreading Democracy, and pizza. Sounds like a good plan - see you tonight!

Don’t forget: Meet me tonight at Tellus at 6:30!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!! We need volunteers to canvass this week! Do you have an hour or two to spare to talk to your neighbors about the upcoming primary election? Sign up here! We will connect you with a list, materials, and training.

Join me next Thursday at Tellus as Lancaster County Young Democrats - PA hosts the Democrats for Lancaster City Council for a casual meet and greet event. I’m running alongside two other amazing Young Democrats and first time candidates because we share a vision for Lancaster where government is accessible and accountable. Let’s come together to begin the conversation!

Make sure to join me next Thursday at the Lancaster County Young Democrat’s Drinking Liberally event!

It’s my birthday! Show your support by making a $10 contribution to my campaign today! https://secure.anedot.com/abakayforlanc/donate

Today while canvassing I talked to voters about making our streets safer for children to play, improving street lighting, and meeting the housing needs in the city. I am so grateful for these conversations and for neighbors who care about Lancaster deeply enough to share their concerns with me when I knock on their door. #Vote4Amanda

Get involved! We’re recruiting volunteers for canvassing and other crucial duties needed to get us elected. Sign up here:

Make sure you’re prepared for Election Day on May 21st! #Vote4Amanda

Thank you to the members of Lancaster Stands Up for your endorsement! It was the very first Lancaster Stands Up meeting back in 2016 where I meant many of the people who introduced me to local politics. I don't think I'd be a candidate today without them!

I’m out canvassing in the Southeast on this beautiful day! I’ve really enjoyed getting to hear from neighbors about their concerns and hopes for Lancaster, and hearing about their excitement for the upcoming election. Want to join our canvassing team? Send me a message to get started!

Ballot positions were picked for the May 21st Primary Election this afternoon. I’ll be appearing in position four so remember to #Vote4Amanda!

When the photographer says "Give me a Leslie Knope smile." : Jaime Arroyo for Lancaster

Signed, sealed, delivered! Petitions are officially filed to be on your ballot in May! Thank you to the hundreds of voters who signed and for the many, many volunteers who worked hard to collect those signatures. Can you knock on a few doors in the coming weeks? Send a message to the page or an email to: [email protected].

Have you been one of the dedicated volunteers collecting signatures for me? It’s time to turn in your petitions! Stop by the FREE notary night hosted by the Lancaster County Democratic Committee any time from 3-7pm TONIGHT. It’s at The Underground: 53 N. Duke Street, rear. Bring your petitions and your ID! Thank your for helping me get on the ballot!

Impromptu petition signing event at Prince Street Cafe right now until 1:45. If you haven't signed for me yet, stop by!

We're out in my neighborhood, in the Southwest, collecting petition signatures today. Thanks to the volunteers making it happen! (This happens to be most my dedicated volunteer, my husband, Dennis.) Haven't signed for me yet? Stay tuned for daily updates of where you can find me and my petition this week!

It was so exciting talking to voters (and registering new ones) at tonights petition drop-in party with fellow City Council candidates @Jaime Arroyo for Lancaster and Xavier Garcia-Molina for City Council!

Tonight is the night! Come out to Tec Centro this evening form 6-8pm to meet me and Jaime Arroyo for Lancaster. Talk to us about your hopes for our community while your sign our petitions! We'll have light refreshments and candidates for School Board will also be there. See you tonight!

Radio alert! Candidates for City Council and School Board will be on WLCH Radio Centro tomorrow starting at 7:30am. Catch me on-air around 8:15!

I am thankful to all of the Democrats running for offices across Lancaster County. This morning I was proud to stand among them as an endorsed candidate. This afternoon, I’m out hitting the pavement in my neighborhood, talking to voters and gathering signatures to be on the ballot! I much prefer the later because I get to wear comfortable shoes!

Have you signed my petition yet? Join me and @Jaime Arroyo for Lancaster next Thursday night at Tec Centro for a drop-in petition signing event. Meet us, share what's important to you, and learn how you can get involved!