Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski has announced his candidacy for governor in 2014.

Pawlowski held a formal campaign announcement and kick-off Sept. 9 at Seventh and Hamilton streets in Allentown. He is currently running for a third term as mayor and has secured both the Democratic and Republican nomination for the November election.

"This is not a decision that was easily made, but as mayor of the third-largest city in the state and president of the Pennsylvania Municipal League, I have seen first-hand the damage that has been done to our Commonwealth over the past four years under the current administration," Pawloski said.

Pawlowski said he "cannot sit idly by" while the state suffers.

"The challenges facing Pennsylvania, like proper funding for education and rebuilding our infrastructure, demand an experienced leader in Harrisburg who has the proven know-how to get results," he said.

"We have done many great things in Allentown, accomplishments made possible because we were able to work together across party lines at all levels of government. I want to bring that cooperation to Harrisburg, to break the gridlock that has brought our government to a standstill, and to address the many issues that face our state, our municipalities, and most of all, our people," he added.

During the eight years since Pawlowski took office, Allentown has reversed an $8 million budget deficit, added 80 officers to its police force and reduced crime almost 30 percent, implemented a variety of neighborhood improvement projects that have helped restore vacant or deteriorating properties, and worked with local, state and federal officials to revitalize a downtown core once devastated by the loss of major retailers and locally owned businesses.

The centerpiece of the Allentown restoration is the new PPL Arena now under construction at Seventh and Hamilton streets. It was created with bipartisan support in Harrisburg. In addition to the arena, which will be home to the AHL Phantoms, the chief minor league affiliate for the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the $1 billion revitalization of Allentown's urban core includes an upscale hotel, more than a dozen restaurants and almost a half-dozen new high-rise office buildings that have already brought companies such as National Penn Bank, Lehigh Valley Hospital, Lehigh Gas and several others – with thousands of employees – back to Allentown's Center City business district.

Although controversial with some local officials, Pawlowski led the recent effort to lease the city's water-sewer facilities to Lehigh County Authority for $214 million – money that will be invested to offset the city's pension fund obligations – making Allentown one of the only cities in the Commonwealth to successfully address its pension obligations while protecting retirees.

In addition, the Pawlowski administration has leveraged local, state and federal funding to rebuild or refurbish three major bridges including the American Parkway bridge, the only bridge now under construction in Pennsylvania funded solely through federal dollars. A new firehouse is under construction, parks have been refurbished and modernized and major streets in the city have been reconstructed to address 21st-century traffic issues.

"None of this was easy. None of it came without significant discussion, debate and compromise," Pawlowski said. "If we can do it here, why can't it be done in Harrisburg? Pennsylvania lags the nation in economic recovery and employment; early childhood, elementary and secondary and post-secondary education has suffered significantly because of current administration's draconian budget cuts, and the state's roads and bridges are among the worst in the nation."

Pawlowski has a master's degree in urban planning and public policy from the University of Illinois.

Pawlowski and his wife, Lisa, a community activist and licensed social worker, live in Center City Allentown. They have two children, Mercy and Alex, who attend Allentown public schools.