Oakland County Exec. Patterson In It For The Long Haul
PONTIAC (WWJ) - Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson on Thursday filed paperwork with the county clerk --making it official that he's running for a fifth term in office.
The 73-year-old Patterson says he doesn't want to hear any talk that he should retire.
"People say, well, you know, 'When you gonna hang it up? You've been here a long time,'" Patterson said.
"I have a couple tests. One is the fire in the belly test -- and I've still got that, it's raging. And the other one is the enthusiasm barometer, and right now it's right at the top. I've never been more enthusiastic about the work I do."
Patterson said there is plenty more to be done in Oakland County.
"And we're not finished," he told reporters. "We've got some things in the hopper that are still five, 10 years out: Medical Main Street, a long way to go to build that out. The Emerging Sectors, that's a 25-year diversification program. Main Street itself, to convert our downtowns and rehab them and bring them back into active lifestyles."
So far, Democratic businessman Kevin Howley is Patterson's only challenger.
