Bryan Barthelme, 62, of Mechanicsville has announced that he will be a Republican candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 29A in next June’s primary. The seat is currently held by long-time legislator Delegate John Wood, a Democrat. Wood recently held a fundraiser but has not formally announced his candidacy for re-election. Barthelme issued the following statement today:

“Dear Friends;

“There are many challenges facing our families, our community, our county and Southern Maryland today and in the years ahead.

“I am at a point in my life where I believe that I have the time to devote to working to find solutions and plan for our future as we determine if we can protect and preserve our community in this land of pleasant living.

“One of the most important obstacles to families has been the ever-increasing tax burden imposed by the Democratic-controlled Maryland General Assembly and Governor Martin O’Malley. These higher taxes and fees strip money out of the pockets of families and threaten the economic security of folks who are trying to educate their children, assist older family members with health issues and plan their own retirements.

“I will not ever vote to increase any tax or fee and will work hard to find ways to lower taxes and attempt to retain businesses in Maryland. Gov. Rick Perry of Texas is right, lower taxes encourage business, produce jobs and spur the economy. Gov. O’Malley has proven that raising taxes drives businesses out of Maryland and kills jobs.

“As we work to protect our families from further encroachment on their economic security, we need to be sure that a fair share of state revenue is appropriated for schools, roads and public safety in St. Mary’s County and in Southern Maryland; rather than having the big counties clean out the treasury, leaving us with crumbs.

“We have to be sure that adequate public facilities accompany or are in place in advance of growth so as to make sure St. Mary’s County does not get swallowed up like Waldorf has been consuming Charles County and becoming overwhelmed with crime, congestion and traffic. As St. Mary’s already has more than one hundred thousand residents, at this point, the only smart growth is no growth.

“Therefore, I have decided to file as a candidate for the Republican nomination for House of Delegates in District 29-A which has been well-represented by Del. Johnny Wood for so many years.

“I will be filing for office on October