Pearland Mayor Kevin Cole will seek re-election in the upcoming May 6 city election.

Mayor Cole was elected to the role November 2020, running his campaign on his “PEAR Plan,” or an emphasis on protection, economic development, accessibility and resource management.

Cole’s announcement comes as the city faces a financial emergency due to a property valuation error that staff said occurred between the Harris County Appraisal District and the Brazoria County tax assessor-collector. In a press release, Cole said it is critical for the city to have strong reserve funds for uncertain times.

“During times like this, it is important to lead the City Council and staff through this with a business-minded approach. The city has strong financial balances and will be able to absorb this punch without lowering services to the citizens we serve,” he said in the release.

In the release, Cole said he believes some of his greatest accomplishments during his term include getting citizens involved in various policy-making issues and helping the council with making policies.

“It is important to me to have active citizen engagement all over the city,” Cole said.

Before serving as Mayor, Cole served a combined nine years on the Pearland City Council as well as serving as a commissioner on the Pearland Planning and Zoning Commission in 1994. For his professional career, he has spent over 20 years in real estate development.