Latest southern Colorado news, weather and sports from FOX21 News

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Anti-tax crusader Douglas Bruce is running for Colorado Springs city council.

Bruce announced Wednesday he will run for one of the at-large seats on the city council.

Bruce has previously been a state legislator, and an El Paso County Commissioner, but he is best known as the author of the TABOR amendment, sometimes called the taxpayer's bill of rights

Bruce has always been a controversial figure in Colorado politics, so whether you like him or hate him, the city council election just got a lot more interesting.

Bruce was elected to the El Paso County Commission in 2004 and appointed to a seat in the state legislature. But on the day he was sworn in, he was caught on camera kicking a newspaper photographer.

Now he wants a seat on the city council.

"I'm here to represent the citizens, not the establishment," Bruce said.

Bruce wrote the taxpayer's bill of rights, which supporters hail as a triumph of tax relief.

But opponents said TABOR strangles local governments and is the reason why the city has had to cut so many services lately.

Bruce is unapologetic.

"We need to have people who are disciplined and have spines of steel and will cut wasteful spending," Bruce said.

Bruce said they city should stop handing out huge wads of cash to try and stimulate the local economy. He said his plan of fiscal conservatism is the answer.

"Certainly not gonna support any tax or fee increases," Bruce said. "I don't agree with the decisions city council has made with giving away the Olympics committee headquarters to bribe the Olympics committee to stay here."

Bruce said he learned from his time on the county commission that it doesn't do any good to be the lone voice, so now he wants to establish a majority of like-minded people on council.

"That's where we need to reform city government is to elect five fiscally conservative to city council," Bruce said. "I hope to be one."

The election is by mail-in ballot only.

Those ballots go out March 16, and the results will be announced April 5.