Brandon Hayden stopped by BayNet Radio and TheBAYNET.com recently and shared some details about his run for St. Mary’s County Commissioner. A 39-year-old Republican, Hayden has lived in the County his whole life. Born at St. Mary’s Hospital, raised in Hollywood and a graduate of St. Mary’s Ryken, the candidate said he’s dedicated to serving the County’s inhabitants.

After high school, he made a career in his family’s business Hayden Auto Parts. Invited to join Fisher, a partner of Federated Auto Parts in 1999, Hayden now works as their regional manager, overseeing four locations in St. Mary’s. Hayden said, “From a business perspective, I have a tremendous amount of experience in bringing value to the people.”
Hayden said that since service to the County was such an integral part of his business, he became involved with the Chamber of Commerce in 1997, serving as Vice President, President and Chairman of the Board over several years. One thing he’s exceptionally proud of was directing the relocation of the Chamber’s business offices to the underutilized Airport Terminal building. A partnership, he said, that brought value to the tax payers.
After 10 years working with the Chamber on zoning issues, Hayden said he realized how much land use policy affects citizens’ quality of life. He decided to get more involved and began working with the Planning Commission. Hayden currently serves as the Commission’s Chairman.
He said while his role with the Planning Commission allows him to advise the current board, “the real decisions are made at the County Commissioners’ table.”
Hayden said he is seeking a progression of responsibility and wants a seat at that table.
Land use policy, he suggested, is a big part of the job, as is managing growth of the community. “The real challenge will be fiscal management,” Hayden said. “The budget must be looked at line by line.”
In critiquing the current board, Hayden said, “Their biggest ommission is not giving citizens any tax relief. A constant yield tax rate is a good place to start.” Hayden also suggested too much of the budget is based on tax revenues, which won’t work in a weak economy. “We’ve got to go back through and analyze everything that’s getting a return and assess what needs to be done.”
On his website, www.brandonhayden.com, he stated, “Whether as a small business man or working in service to our community, I have always done my homework, been a quick

<!–

–>