Schuler announces council run

By Bryan P. Sears
Posted: October 26, 2009

Del. Todd Schuler announced Saturday that he will run for the County Council rather than seek a second term in the House of Delegates.

The announcement, made over the weekend at a campaign fundraising event, was not entirely unexpected. Schuler talked to me about running for the seat back in February 2008.

Schuler, a Democrat from Overlea, now represents the 8th District in the House of Delegates. He said he will run in 2010 for the 6th District council seat currently held by four-term Councilman Joseph Bartenfelder, who is running for county executive in 2010.

Schuler, 32, said he was drawn to running for the seat because of “the effect you can have on local issues.”

“These kind of opportunities don’t come along every day,” Schuler said, referring to the seven-member council that includes one five-term member and four others who have held their seats for four terms.

Schuler said he hopes to replace Vince Gardina as the “environmental conscience on the council.”

Gardina, a who is finishing his fifth term, has announced he is not running for re-election.

County Republicans didn’t waste much time welcoming Schuler to the race.

“It must be Halloween! Delegate Todd Schuler’s announcement to run for County Council should strike fear into all the residents of Council District Six,” County Republican Central Committee Chairman Chris Cavey wrote in a press release sent out late Sunday night. “Hopefully they will not be tricked by this Delegate’s attempt at wearing a Councilman’s costume.”

The release goes on to describe Schuler as “a ghost” that “hides with his liberal friends in the dark tax filled reaches of Annapolis.”

Schuler laughed as I read him the press release Monday morning.

“That’s awesome,” Schuler said. “There’s a lot of good Halloween imagery in there. Maybe there’ll be a Thanksgiving release full of stories about liberal pilgrims.”

Comment on this entry • View all 6 responses

user brucerobinson says...

Let's clear up a possible misunderstanding - Councilmen have to WORK for twenty years in order to get full pay for being retired. Vince will retire and get paid for doing nothing during that retirement. The expectation, and Vince met it, is that the council members WORK during their terms in office. As a resident of the 8th legislative and 6th council districts, I am looking for the candidate that will work in representing my districts.

Posted 12:54 PM, 10.26.09

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user augieboy says...

Is it likely that his 'decision' to run for county council so he can hopefully collect that nice fat pension that councilman would receive for their service? The 'politician' in most, overrides the 'representative' in all...ALL citizen representatives should be aware that we are NOT willing to 'hand' or 'bequeath' a seat, merely because the opportunistic personalities of the current county and state representatives attempt to 'shuffle' the deck.

Posted 1:03 PM, 10.26.09

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user dmrjr says...

After the rhetoric subsides, perhaps Republicans can focus on presenting a credible candidate for the seat.

Posted 2:06 PM, 10.26.09

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user annmiller says...

Mr. Schuler has been able to hide among 21 representatives in the Baltimore County delegation in Annapolis. It truly is a fright to think of promoting him to one of seven on the county council. I have more faith in the voters than that.

Posted 4:39 PM, 10.26.09

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user josemontoya says...

So, Todd Schuler wants us to add another Democrat to a county government already overflowing with similar Democratic partisans. And he "cares" about the environment! This is the same Democratic county government that presided over two decades of overdevelopment and sprawl. Vince Gardina, Schuler's hero, harvested thousands of dollars from big money developers. And let's not forgot that Todd Schuler failed to stop his buddy, Governor O'Malley, from building a new jail in Cub Hill...that was supposed to be a regional park. Some record for Todd Schuler and the Democrats!

Posted 5:16 PM, 10.26.09

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user davidmarks1 says...

Funny, I have never seen "environmental conscience" Todd Schuler at any of the Perry Hall Improvement Association's tree plantings or road clean-ups...but then again, I really don't see Todd Schuler at anything in the community, unless it's sponsored by the Northeast Democratic Club.

Posted 8:12 PM, 10.26.09

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