Lusby businessman Mike Hart is the latest Republican to file for the 2014 Calvert County Commissioners’ race. According to the Maryland Elections Board, Hart filed as a candidate for the First Election District commissioners’ seat Monday, Dec. 23.
Hart owns Patuxent Wine and Spirits.
“I’m a lunch box guy,” said Hart, who indicated during a telephone interview that he would be an advocate for the working county residents facing challenging economic times. A resident of Calvert since the age of 8, Hart is a Calvert High School graduate. Of Calvert, Hart said “I’ve watched it grow.”
His concern is that Calvert’s business and retail community is not keeping pace with the two other Southern Maryland jurisdictions. “Calvert is losing businesses,” Hart lamented. The dearth of businesses providing a substantial tax base hurts Calvert in terms of having additional funding to address growing needs in law enforcement and education.
“You just can’t rely on property taxes,” said Hart.
The lack of certain businesses that have locations in St. Mary’s and Charles counties also adversely impacts Calvert’s tax coffers. “We [Calvert residents] spend a lot of money outside the county, there’s a lot of things we need here,” said Hart, who added county government’s departments of Community Planning and Building and Economic Development need to work closer to address the problem.
Of the ongoing plan to expand Dominion Cove Point Liquefied Natural Gas Plant is Lusby, Hart stated giving the facility export capability “sounds like a good deal financially.” His concerns about the proposal stem from the anxiety residents have about the expanded plant’s environmental impact and how the construction phase will be handled. “We need to see a full plan,” said Hart. “A lot of people don’t know what to expect.”
Hart also labeled the expansion plan “a home run-type thing” and explained the county leaders needed to build a stronger economic foundation through small business growth. “We’re too dependent on property taxes and energy,” said Hart.
Currently one other candidate—independent Emad Dides—has filed to run for commissioner in the First Election District. While he has yet to announce or file, incumbent Commissioner Gerald W. “Jerry” Clark [R] is expected to seek a fourth four-year term in 2014.
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