BLOOMINGTON - A business analyst from State Farm Insurance Cos. has stepped into the race for Bloomington mayor.

Eric Decossas, 39, 4 Downing Circle, filed nominating petitions Thursday with the Bloomington Election Commission for the April 7 election.

"It's more like David's little brother versus two Goliaths," Decossas said, referring to Mayor Steve Stockton and Tari Renner.

Stockton, 61, 19 Brompton Court, is running for his second term. Stockton is a retired vice president from State Farm.

Renner, 49, 1016 N. Evans St., is an Illinois Wesleyan University political science professor who also filed to run for mayor.

Decossas said he would like to see the city look for different approaches in solving its financial woes rather than by raising fees and taxes. As an example, Decossas said the city could look at energy demands of the future and get into the wind energy business as a way to make money.

"We will still need taxes and fees but we would have another revenue stream to lighten the burden on families already strapped for cash by this economy," he added.

The deadline is Monday for candidates to file their petitions to be on the ballot. If five candidates file, it will force a primary election on Feb. 24 to narrow the field in the mayor's race, which is a non-partisan contest.