AUBURN — City Councilor Ron Potvin has announced his intention to run for mayor.

“The mayor’s seat is about vision and direction and I strongly disagree with the present direction the city is taking,” Potvin said in his announcement. “This direction has resulted in neighborhood streetlights being shut off, reduced assistance and hours at City Hall, the elimination of the city’s rescue service and an attempt to eliminate polling locations. We don’t need to do things this way. I want to go to bat for the people, not take the bat to the people.”

Potvin, a resident of Northern Avenue, is a longtime voice for tax relief, has advocated for reduced city spending, reorganization of tax district revenues, and streamlining the delivery of services in some city functions.

“I am happy to deliver relief to the taxpayers through these actions and know that we can do so much more without attacking the services that the public is most dependent upon,” he said.

Potvin said he would prioritize items that need immediate attention, such as tax rate stabilization, a new high school, a renovated performing arts center and reinforcement of transportation infrastructure, including rail and bus service, and completion of road repairs.

He said he would focus on upholding the positive aspects of the community, such as a solid health care system, a quality environment, a strong school system and one of the lowest crime rates in the nation.

“The talent and energy in the city make all of this possible,” he said. “Providing leadership to facilitate that vision and direction is my goal for the city of Auburn, its future and for the next generation.”

Potvin is a corrections officer with the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department, the mayor’s representative to the School Committee and L/A Transit Authority, and has been a member of Auburn’s Budget Advisory Committee and Zoning Board of Appeals.