The mayor of New Jersey’s largest city announced his re-election campaign Thursday.

Mayor Ras Baraka has been in office for 3 ½ years. He says that during that time employment has risen, development has skyrocketed and the police force has increased.

Former New Jersey acting-Gov. Richard Codey and current Democratic nominee for governor Phil Murphy were in attendance at Baraka’s kickoff event.

The election for the new mayor will be held next May.