City Commissioner Craig Lowe is moving on up - or at least he hopes to.
On Monday, Lowe, who received his master's degree in zoology from UF, was the first person to announce candidacy for Gainesville mayor.
Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan's term will expire in March after six years on City Commission and six years as mayor.
"Gainesville's a very special place," Lowe said. "We've put in programs that have been a model for the rest of the country. During these hard economic times, we need to make sure we keep Gainesville Gainesville."
Fellow City Commissioner Jeanna Mastrodicasa spoke about Lowe's decision to run.
"It's definitely been a goal of his for a long time," she said.
Lowe was first elected to represent the 4th District in the Gainesville City Commission in 2003 when the commission was expanded to include seven members. Lowe was re-elected in 2004 and 2007.
Lowe said his foremost campaign issues are developing economic and energy plans that focus on the future.
He was instrumental in developing the nation's first solar photovoltaic feed-in tariff program in Gainesville earlier this year.
"We need to constantly be refining and improving and looking for opportunities to move ahead," Lowe said.
Mastrodicasa said Lowe's greatest asset as a candidate is his ability to make compromises.
"He's a very skilled policymaker," she said.
Lowe expects the coming year to present a challenging budget but not one that is impossible to handle.
He also spoke about the rising tuition at UF.
"That issue is relatively out of my hands, but I would be concerned if some of our residents were being priced out of getting their full four-year education at the University of Florida," Lowe said.
During his near-seven-year tenure on the commission, Lowe has consistently been an outspoken supporter for equal opportunities for all citizens, most recently with his adamant opposition to Gainesville's proposed Charter Amendment 1 this year.
The proposed amendment failed in March.
Lowe, who initially received his bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia, said that UF's relationship with the city of Gainesville is crucial.
"The role UF plays in developing the character of Gainesville cannot be overstated," Lowe said. "Our destinies are intertwined."
Mastrodicasa had only one piece of advice for Lowe during his mayoral candidacy.
"He has to tone down that Georgia Bulldog pride during football season," Mastrodicasa said.
Mayoral elections will be held March 16.
