Local community leader James Jeyaraj launched his campaign on Wednesday to serve on the Auburn City Council.

Jeyaraj has an extensive history as a community leader, a volunteer and a political activist in Auburn. Employed in the aerospace industry, he has experience with project management, working with diverse teams to complete projects on time and under budget.

A Singapore native, Jeyaraj has called the Pacific Northwest home since 1985. Ever since 2007 when he moved to Auburn, he has been active in the community as a board member for the city’s Parks and Recreation board and volunteered his time for community events.

“Auburn is an amazing city with a ton of potential to continue to grow and attract new residents and businesses,” Jeyaraj said in a press release. “However, in recent history there has been a division in local politics. As your city council member, it is my pledge to work with the mayor and my fellow council members to put personal politics aside so we can move Auburn forward, together.

“We have big-city problems that we are facing, including homelessness, the opioid epidemic, affordable housing and improving the quality of life for our residents. It is going to take a true partnership between the city, residents and the business community to develop innovative solutions to make headway on these problems. I also think it is imperative we set benchmarks so our community members know we are actually making progress on these fronts and we have results to show,” said Jeyaraj.

Jeyaraj said he would work hard to bring jobs and economic opportunity home the residents of Auburn. But to continue to attract quality employers and new residents, he said, the city needs to make strategic investments to ensure Auburn is a place every resident is proud to call home.

“This means we need to invest additional funds in public safety, repairing our roadways and sidewalks and ensuring we continue to have a vibrant parks system. These are amenities that new residents and businesses look at when looking for a new home. I want to create an Auburn that is welcoming to everyone and ensure it is a place where everyone sees an opportunity for themselves,” Jeyaraj concluded.

For more information on Jeyaraj, visit JamesforAuburn.com.