Jerry Pitzrick has announced his candidacy for the State House of Representatives seat for District 42B.

“My family and I have lived in Eden Prairie since 1976,” said Pitzrick, in a news release. “We’ve been a part of the community through its most rapid, expansive development. My wife and I have raised our daughter here and watched her graduate from the Eden Prairie School District. My mother is now a resident of an Eden Prairie senior living center as well.”

According to the release, Pitzrick “is a successful business owner who regularly consults with cities and government entities across the country to help them work together more productively. Prior to that, he spent more than 20 years working in management for a large, locally based national contractor. He is trained as a civil engineer, with a degree from the University of Minnesota.”

Additionally, Pitzrick has been on the Eden Prairie Planning Commission since 2006.

He wrote that he believes in the following:

* Providing consistent, reliable funding to better educate children today helps them succeed tomorrow – and that helps Minnesota business.

* Minnesota needs more innovative thinking and strategically directed resources to promote a diverse, vibrant, stable economy.

* Investing in effective transportation helps people and businesses be more productive and ultimately saves time, energy and money.

* Infrastructure is much more than road and bridges. We need to deal with water management, new sources of renewable energy and power transmission issues now to avoid problems in the future.

“I believe that my background, skills and commitment will make me a strong, independent voice for Eden Prairie.”