Democrat Ann Helton officially filed as a candidate for Harford County executive Monday, challenging Republican incumbent David Craig.
Helton, a 66-year-old Darlington resident, is running on a platform of controlling growth and development in a county flush with the promise of new jobs at Aberdeen Proving Ground during the next five to 10 years.
“We?ve been letting growth drive everything and have fallen behind on infrastructure,” shesaid.
Helton said she supports more revitalization and renovation of existing properties, especially along the Route 40 corridor.
She and her husband run a business rehabilitating and recycling properties in Aberdeen.
Helton also promised fiscal responsibility, chiding Craig for increasing spending on personnel and school construction while counting on military base realignment to bring in new revenues.
“I don?t think anyone believes … we have the revenue to support this amount of projects,” Helton said. “I?ll be much more fiscally conservative.”
“The reality is that we need more schools now; if we wait until later, it will cost us even more,” Craig responded.
He denied he was counting on future base realignment-related growth to pay for current projects.
“Growth and development should pay for itself. … Otherwise, you become addicted to it,” Craig said.
Craig fired back at Helton?s allegations that he was beholden to developers? donations, citing Helton?s husband?s development business and touting financial support broader than development companies.
Though she announced her campaign in February, Helton said she waited until Monday to file for candidacy in order to put together her campaign. She has been raising money, putting together her staff, gathering volunteers and putting together a budget.
