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January 24, 2025
Scranton Stories: Meet Mike Washo
A former Lackawanna County Commissioner and proactive advocate for the people in his community, Mike Washo shares his "Scranton Story".
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Scranton Stories is an oral history video series featuring 33 individuals who have lived or worked in the city of Scranton. These videos are part of the larger project, Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story, which is a community-wide exploration of themes such as history, belonging, and identity. DiscoverNEPA will share these unique, personal “Scranton Stories” in the lead-up to the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.

A proactive advocate, Mike Washo shares his "Scranton Story"

Having an interest in politics from a young age, Mike Washo recalled with a bit of humor how part of Scranton’s political culture was the now-defunct practice of “erasing” parking tickets issued to citizens of Scranton.

After living and working in Michigan as the state deputy historian, he returned to Scranton to be with his ailing father and to work in Mayor Jim McNulty’s administration. After working across multiple administrations, Mike ultimately served six years as Lackawanna County commissioner and was deeply touched by the responsibility of advocating for the needs of county residents.

Regarding Scranton’s role in the politics of the United States, he recounts many occasions where Scranton “played way above its weight” on the national stage.

While Mike hopes for increased vocational and research opportunities for the people and institutions of Scranton, he is also deeply worried about today’s national political climate, including the race and sexual orientation-based hatred currently raging in the United States.