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Former MMSD school board president announces bid for Madison mayor

MADISON (WKOW) — Madison Metropolitan School District's former school board president is eyeing a new role, now in city government. 

27 News obtained Gloria Reyes' declaration of candidacy for the City of Madison's mayor. The document shows Reyes filed the declaration on Nov. 8. 

Reyes officially announced her run at a news conference Thursday afternoon.

She said she decided to run after "much thought and encouragement from our Madison community."

She plans to focus on five key issues: public safety and healthy communities, economic development, education, environment and housing and homelessness.

Without using her name, Reyes suggested Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway has struggled in times of city crisis.

"When experience crisis, we need a leader who leads and listens to our community, wants the pulse of the community," Reyes says. "A crisis is not an excuse for lack of leadership."

Managing the pandemic and responding to widespread vandalism during Black Lives Matter protests have been among the challenges during Rhodes-Conway's tenure.

"We were worked with parents, administrators, students and teachers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and navigating the social changes that came about from the tragic murder of George Floyd," Reyes says. 

The mayoral election will take place in April 2023. 

In addition to previously serving as MMSD school board president, she was also deputy mayor under Paul Soglin from November 2014 to April 2019. 

Reyes was also a Madison Police officer for more than a dozen years.

"Over the last four years, the crime rate has risen," Reyes says. "Constantly we get notifications of police investing gunshots. Car thefts and burglaries have happened to our friends and family."

Reyes also touted her work with the Latino community and her tenure as Chief Executive Officer of the non-profit Briarpatch Youth Services. Among supporters attending her campaign announcement at Madison City Hall Tuesday were Madison Councilperson Syed Abbas and former Madison Police Chief Noble Wray.

A campaign spokesperson for Rhodes-Conway says the mayor is focused on delivering a balanced city budget, but says the mayor will be making an announcement of her own at the appropriate time. The spokesperson says the mayor loves the city and her job and "is not going anywhere."

More at WKOW 27 News


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