Overview
Erie is a city in Erie County, Pennsylvania, on the coast of Lake Erie.
As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 103,717.
The Northwest PA region has a population of about 1 million people.
It is the 4th most populated city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh & Allentown.
It is the county seat of Erie County.
Erie is named after the adjacent lake, which is named after the Erie tribe of Native
Americans who lived along its southern shore before European contact.
Erie was also called the Gem City because of the sparkling lake.
Government
Erie operates as a third-class city code of Pennsylvania with the strong Mayor-City Council
form of government wherein the mayor serves as chief executive and administrative officer for the
municipality and City Council serves as the legislative and oversight body providing checks and
balances on the system. A Home Rule charter adopted by the voters in ???? assigns the rights
and responsibilities of each elected official and provides for citizen input on ordinances through
a process of initiative and referendum.