There will be at least one familiar face in the race for the Lawrence City Commission.

Commissioner David Schauner on Tuesday became the first incumbent to announce plans to seek re-election.

“I think we have started a lot of very good projects,” Schauner said. “But I’m still concerned about three things: fiscally responsible local government, job creation and long-term planning for growth. Those will be the centerpieces of my campaign, and what I talk the most about.”

Schauner’s seat is one of three that is up for re-election on the five-member commission. Commissioners Boog Highberger and Mike Rundle have not announced their plans, although Highberger has said he’s strongly leaning toward running again.

Schauner, who is general counsel for the Kansas National Education Association, began serving on the commission in 2003. Schauner last won re-election in 2005, when he finished third in the race and received a two-year term. The top two finishers get four-year terms.

In his four years on the commission, Schauner said he was pleased that commissioners had been able to lower the city’s property tax mill levy.

“I think we have begun a course of strong financial stewardship, but I want to continue working on that until it becomes a part of the culture at City Hall,” Schauner said.

Schauner, 61, also said he would make completing a backlog of street, sidewalk, sewer and other infrastructure projects his top spending priority during a new term. He said he only would be comfortable moving forward on large-dollar projects, such as a new library or new recreational complex, if voters specifically approved the project.

But he also said he’s hesitant to support a new sales tax, which has been mentioned as a possible way to fund future projects.

“I would prefer that we just see how fiscally restrained we can become,” Schauner said. “I would like to see if we can do a better job of prioritizing what we can do.”

Schauner came into office in 2003 as part of the first group of candidates that received endorsements from the Progressive Lawrence Campaign, a political action committee that promotes progressive planning and growth management.

The election will be April 3. If more than six candidates file for election, there will be a primary Feb. 27.

Schauner, who is making a formal announcement at 12:15 p.m. today at City Hall, is the third person to declare for the race.

Rob Chestnut, chief financial officer at Allen Press, and Mike Dever, owner of a Lawrence-based environmental consulting firm, previously announced their intentions to run.