The Platform
Serving The Community
Lewis Butts for Mayor
Mayoral Plan: A New Day for Our City
1. Public Safety & Community Policing
• Rebuild trust through transparency and neighborhood-based policing.
• Invest in mental health crisis response teams.
• Launch mentorship and prevention programs for youth.
2. Economic Growth & Job Creation
• Create a Small Business Acceleration Fun
Lewis Butts for Mayor
Mayoral Plan: A New Day for Our City
1. Public Safety & Community Policing
• Rebuild trust through transparency and neighborhood-based policing.
• Invest in mental health crisis response teams.
• Launch mentorship and prevention programs for youth.
2. Economic Growth & Job Creation
• Create a Small Business Acceleration Fund.
• Partner with vocational schools and unions for workforce training.
• Recruit new industries and protect local businesses.
3. Education & Youth Empowerment
• Expand after-school programs and youth employment.
• Fight for equitable school funding.
• Launch the 'Butts Promise' scholarship program.
4. Affordable Housing & Homelessness Solutions
• Increase affordable housing through partnerships.
• Create a Homelessness Action Task Force.
• Protect renters from displacement.
5. Clean Streets & Strong Neighborhoods
• Launch a City Pride Cleanup Campaign.
• Implement rapid response to blight and dumping.
• Invest in parks and public spaces.
6. Health Equity & Mental Health Access
• Open neighborhood wellness centers.
• Expand mobile health units.
• Prioritize maternal, youth, and senior health.
7. A Transparent, People-Focused City Hall
• Hold monthly community town halls.
• Launch a public city spending portal.
• Reform city hiring to prioritize local talent.
8. A Safer City for All: Crime Reduction Plan
• Reform policing with accountability and community oversight.
• Assign officers to neighborhoods long-term.
• Fund de-escalation and cultural competency training.
• Expand youth mentorship and gang intervention.
• Use community justice centers and crisis response teams.
• Partner to remove illegal guns and support victims.
9. Justice For All: Cold Case & Unsolved Crimes Unit
• Establish a Cold Case and Unsolved Crimes Investigation Unit focused on reopening long-forgotten crimes.
• Investigate unsolved murders, missing persons cases, unresolved sexual assaults, and wrongful convictions.
• Staff the unit with experienced detectives, forensic experts, and victim advocates.
• Partner with state and federal agencies to use advanced forensic and DNA tools.
• Provide regular updates to families and create a Cold Case Family Support Line for transparency.
• Ensure all cases are reviewed with fairness, especially those previously neglected or mishandled.
10. Revitalizing Our Neighborhoods & Rebuilding Community Pride
• Launch the Neighborhood Renaissance Initiative to clean up abandoned properties and convert vacant lots into parks and gardens.
• Fund public art, murals, and beautification projects to uplift community pride.
• Improve lighting, sidewalks, and public transit access for safe and accessible neighborhoods.
• Offer tax incentives and support to attract restaurants, stores, and businesses to underserved areas.
• Create entertainment zones with bowling alleys, skating rinks, theaters, and community spaces.
• Establish Job Clubs and Career Hubs to connect residents with local employment and career advancement.
• Organize frequent community events, markets, and cultural festivals to bring life and commerce back into the neighborhoods.
11. Safe Streets, Safe Schools, Safe City: Protecting Our Children and Citizens
• Implement Safe Routes to School with well-lit walkways, crossing guards, and school zone patrols.
• Improve school bus security with trained personnel and GPS tracking for real-time safety.
• Station youth safety coordinators at high-traffic schools to support peaceful student environments.
• Create a citywide anti-bullying program with education for students, teachers, and parents.
• Expand mental health counselors in schools and community centers to catch issues before they become crises.
• Launch a Safe Voice Hotline and App for anonymous reporting of bullying, threats, or harassment.
• Increase patrols and surveillance in high-crime zones and public spaces to keep everyone safe.
• Install emergency call stations and smart cameras in parks, transit areas, and business corridors.
• Develop Safe Zones with community programming, youth workers, and visible safety staff.
• Open Citizen Safety Resource Centers to allow residents to report concerns or get assistance.
• Support neighborhood watch groups with tools, training, and real-time coordination with law enforcement.
• Establish a Senior Safety Outreach Team to protect the elderly from abuse and scams.
• Expand resources for domestic violence victims, including shelters, crisis response, and legal help.
• Support individuals experiencing homelessness or mental health crises with nonviolent, compassionate care.
Harrisburg Radio Station
Harrisburg Television Station
Harrisburg National Aquarium
No Electricity Bill
Site Content
Lewis Butts For Mayor City of Harrisburg
Lewis L. Butts Jr. stands out as an exceptional candidate for Mayor of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, due to a unique blend of educational achievement, civic leadership, and a demonstrated passion for community betterment rooted in both vision and action.
Born and raised in Harrisburg on June 3, 1966, Lewis is a proud product of the city’s public education system, graduating from Harrisburg High School. He furthered his academic journey at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), Cape Fear Community College, Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC), and the Aviation Institute of Maintenance. This diverse educational background reflects not only intellectual curiosity but also a commitment to lifelong learning and practical skills-traits essential for dynamic municipal leadership2.
Lewis’s accomplishments are tangible and lasting. He played a pivotal role in the development of the Susquehanna River Trail, a project that has enhanced recreational opportunities, promoted environmental stewardship, and improved the quality of life for Harrisburg residents. This initiative required vision, coalition-building, and the ability to navigate complex logistical and regulatory landscapes-demonstrating Lewis’s capacity to turn ideas into reality through effective organization and perseverance.
Equally significant is his leadership in the establishment and growth of Camp Curtin United Methodist Church. The church, a historic institution in Harrisburg, has long served as a hub for spiritual guidance, social support, and community engagement68. Lewis’s involvement in this cornerstone of the city’s civic life highlights his organizational skills, his ability to inspire collective action, and his dedication to serving all segments of Harrisburg’s diverse population.
Throughout his career, Lewis has exhibited the qualities of a unifier and a builder. Whether fostering partnerships for major civic projects or strengthening the social fabric through faith-based initiatives, he has demonstrated the vision, discipline, and empathy required of a mayor. His deep roots in Harrisburg, combined with his broad educational and professional experience, equip him to understand the city’s challenges and opportunities from multiple perspectives.
In summary, Lewis L. Butts Jr. is a great candidate for Mayor of Harrisburg because he embodies the values of education, service, and community leadership. His record of accomplishment-from the Susquehanna River Trail to Camp Curtin United Methodist Church-proves his readiness to lead Harrisburg toward a more vibrant, inclusive, and prosperous future.