Milou Mackenzie, a longtime Lehigh Valley businesswoman and former schoolteacher has announced her candidacy for state representative in the 131st House District.

Mackenzie, a lifelong Republican, will seek the Republican nomination in the April Primary Election.

“With the retirement of state Rep. Justin Simmons, it is important that our community elect someone dedicated to protecting taxpayers while addressing the challenges our state faces in a commonsense manner,” Mackenzie said. “I will bring a lifetime of professional and personal experiences to the state House to ensure the concerns of Lehigh, Montgomery and Northampton county residents are heard loud and clear.”

Mackenzie is well-known throughout the Lehigh Valley as the owner-operator of V.M. Mackenzie Interior Design, L.L.C. for nearly four decades. She believes her experience as a small business owner is an asset in her run for office.

“As a businessperson, I have seen firsthand how government can help, or hurt, job creators and our economy. I have also dealt with the challenges of running a business, from creating budgets to dealing with rising costs and more,” Mackenzie explained. “This experience in the real world will help me ensure that tax dollars are spent wisely and efficiently and that government acts as a partner with the private sector in driving the economic and job growth opportunities our families deserve.”

Mackenzie also said she will make fiscal conservatism a cornerstone of her service should she win election to the House, as well as support efforts to eliminate school property taxes.

“Far too often, government turns to taxpayers for more before working to cut spending or increase efficiencies. That’s not how we work in our homes and businesses and it shouldn’t be how we work in Harrisburg. I will fight for new budgeting practices that put taxpayers first,” Mackenzie said. “I also fully support efforts to eliminate school property taxes and replace them with a system that is fairer to all taxpayers. No one should ever fear losing their home because of an inability to afford ever-rising school taxes.”

Prior to entering the private sector as an entrepreneur, Mackenzie was a teacher in both public and private schools and cites providing education while respecting taxpayers as a top issue priority.

“Once you have been a teacher, you are always a teacher. You never lose that spark to provide children with the strongest base possible to launch a successful life,” Mackenzie explained. “As state representative, I want to use my firsthand knowledge from the classroom to invest the right way in our schools while still protecting the rights of taxpayers. We can do this by making sure tax dollars are focused on the classroom, reducing standardized testing and giving parents, taxpayers and teachers a greater say in curriculum and the operation of our schools.”

Mackenzie is a native of the Lehigh Valley, born and raised in nearby Nazareth and graduating from Cedar Crest College. She lived in Lehigh County for 35 years before moving to her home of the last 12 years in Lower Saucon Township with her husband Kevin Brown, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and veteran.

Milou is the mother of two sons and has two grandchildren. She is a former Lehigh County Republican Committee member.

The 131st Legislative District consists of the Lower Milford, Salisbury (part), Upper Milford and Upper Saucon townships and Coopersburg and Emmaus boroughs in Lehigh County; Upper Hanover Township and East Greenville, Pennsburg and Red Hill boroughs in Montgomery County and Lower Saucon Township (part) in Northampton County.