Doug Young, Murfreesboro City Councilman and small business owner, announced that he will run for re-election to the Murfreesboro City Council. "I believe in traditional American values, being a good steward of tax dollars, and best utilizing and maximizing our resources," Young, owner and operator of City Tile and Floor Covering, said. "I am proud of our past and what we've accomplished, but we must look to the future for our children and grandchildren, and that is why I am running for re-election to the Council."

Doug Young has been part of a Council that has witnessed tremendous growth over the past 12 years. Rutherford County grew by 51 percent, with Murfreesboro accounting for almost half of the County's population. During this time, the Council supported infrastructure projects, such as schools, roads, Medical Center Parkway, the Embassy Suites Conference Center, and worked with Middle Tennessee State University to aid in job creation. "We've done all this without a tax increase the entire time I have served on the Council,"? Young said. "I am proud that the City has thrived during this rapid growth. We have to continue to manage growth successfully because Murfreesboro offers so many opportunities for people in terms of jobs, education, location and quality of life."

The City is currently working on a comprehensive plan. This plan will serve as the principal guide for the City regarding land use, zoning, transportation planning, utilities, economic development, traffic management, recreation and housing. "We will seek input from both City and County residents. This plan will guide our community for the next 25 years," Young said. Young serves as Vice Chair of the Planning Commission, which will approve the various phases of the plan's implementation.

Top issues for Young include education, jobs, safe neighborhoods and quality of life. He currently serves as the Chair of the City Schools Foundation and is Chair of MTSU's College of Liberal Arts Advisory Board. Young's daughter and daughter-in-law are teachers. Young's wife, Susan, recently retired from teaching.

"Education produces jobs, and jobs produce success. The education I received at Hobgood, Central High and MTSU gave me the opportunity to build a successful small business and provide a better life for my family," he said.

Young is a member of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce and the Blue Raider Athletic Association. His professional memberships include the National Federation of Independent Businesses, Middle Tennessee Floor Covering Association and World Floor Covering Association. Young is a member of the Main Street Board of Directors and was named its 2012 Business Person of the Year.

Young previously served on the Board of Directors for the MTSU Alumni Association, Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, Tennessee Municipal League and as trustee for the MTSU Foundation. He is a graduate and past board member of Leadership Rutherford and a graduate of the Citizens Police and Fire Academies. Young is a past member of the Regional Transportation Authority and Murfreesboro Jaycees. He served as an active duty U.S. Army officer in Infantry and Military Intelligence.

Young is an Elder at First Presbyterian Church in Murfreesboro. He and his wife of 42 years Susan, have three children and four grandchildren. Doug Young would like to ask for your note. City election is April 15 with early voting March 31- April 9.