Kearns Michael “Mickey” Kearns, the South District Buffalo Common Council member, has officially announced his candidacy for the state’s 145th Assembly District.

A special election has been set for March 20 to fill the vacant seat. The post was last held by Mark Schroeder, who resigned at the end of 2011 to serve as the City of Buffalo’s comptroller.

The 145th District includes Orchard Park and West Seneca, as well as parts of the cities of Buffalo and Lackawanna.

“I want to go to Albany for one thing — to fight for jobs for Western New York.,” Kearns said in a press release sent to The Bee. “As a father, I know our community deserves better from Albany. We need to get our community back to work. I will be an independent voice in Albany, working with whoever shares my commitment to working families.”

Kearns, an independent Democrat, began his public service working as a Buffalo sanitation worker. He then established his career in the private sector upon earning a paralegal degree from Erie Community College while working at the law offices of Hiscock & Barclay. Most recently, he served as vice president at Kearns & Associates.

“As a South Buffalo councilman, I’ve stood up to powerful special interests and fought for working families. As Assemblyman, I will bring to Albany the same values I teach my daughter: honesty, hard work and loyalty,” Kearns stated, adding, “I want to focus on creating jobs right here in our community.”

He currently lives in South Buffalo with his wife, Erin, and daughter, McKenna.