CLAYTON (KMOX) -- Mark Mantovani is running for St. Louis County Executive again.
"I believe that our region in general, and St. Louis County in particular, continue to fail to meet their potential," Mantovani says. "If you change nothing, nothing changes."
His announcement video was posted to Facebook early Wednesday.
In it, he suggests the region needs a turnaround expert.
"St. Louis County is one of only a few American counties within major metropolitan areas with a declining population. Too many of our young people are leaving St. Louis for other cities," he says. "For decades, our community has underperformed in job growth, economic mobility, and educational outcome, and the levels of violent crime, poverty, and segregation and unacceptable."
The businessman says he doesn't want a political career and wouldn't ever file for any other office.
Mantovani alludes to the city-county split by saying he's worked on both sides of the line and doesn't make distinction about what part of the region someone is from.
He had been appointed as a county representative to the Board of Freeholders, which is intended to reevaluate the jurisdictions' governance structure. But a long delay in getting city appointees approved to the board caused him to resign.
Mantovani ran in the last election and came about 1,100 votes away from beating then-incumbent Steve Stenger, who would later plead guilty to corruption charges and go to federal prison.
His latest campaign launch alludes to that, saying "real leadership requires more than the absence of corruption."
KMOX News asked Wednesday morning for an interview with him, but did not get a response.
In the Democratic primary this August, Mantovani will face current County Executive Sam Page and County Assessor Jake Zimmerman.