It only took three years for Jackie Holcombe to get involved in town government after moving her family to Morrisville in 2002.

“The biggest impetus was that this was the community where my family lives,” she said. “We expect to stay here a very long time.”

On July 7, she announced her candidacy to run for mayor, against incumbent Jan Faulkner. “The decision was finalized in June,” the 51-year-old mother of two daughters said. “I think I can bring some positive changes to Morrisville, especially when it comes to fiscal responsibility. One of the things the town needs to address is years and years of overspending.”

Faulkner and Holcombe served together on the commissioner’s board — since renamed the town council — for part of 2005. Holcombe had to resign due to health reasons.

But that didn’t stop her from weighing in, as a citizen, on issues like fiscal responsibility, traffic congestion and sustainable development — the core issues of her campaign. She co-founded Morrisville Action, a grassroots group, in 2008. They protested last year’s proposed 19 percent property tax hike, and its members have since been a staple at town hall meetings.

“It failed,” she said of the controversial increase. “But it came down to the wire.”

Holcombe is outspoken about where she thinks current town leadership has gone wrong.

“A big part of it is departmental expenses,” she said, citing as an example $5.7 million that was slated five years ago for a public safety complex. “If you look around Morrisville, you won’t see it. We spent a good bit of that money on general office space.”

Holcombe also wants to increase volunteerism in the community. Her 20-year-old daughter, Lindsay, has Down syndrome and is part of a team that recently painted the fence in front of Ruritan Park.

“Half of them are special needs, half not,” said Holcombe, who’s been married to husband Rick, an IT professional, for 27 years. “It was a lot of fun, especially for this group of folk. For them it was an opportunity to give back.”

Holcombe also owns a company that employs special needs people part-time, called buckwheathull.com. For a few hours a week, they fill pillows and other items with buckwheat hulls.

She said she thinks a good mayor is a good listener.

“It’s someone who is responsible and someone who works hard at compromise and consensus-building,” she said. “I’m excited about the campaign season. And I’m excited about being the mayor of Morrisville.”

E-mail Holcombe at Jackie@ElectJackieHolcombe.com.