Melanie Holland, who only lost by 459 votes to incumbent Debra Davis in the 2014 Primary Election for Charles County Commissioner District II, has filed with the Election Board as a write-in candidate for the General Election in November.

“There was the urging of the community,” Holland said about her renewed candidacy. “Many people have reached out and by the way the votes came in, the race was so close, even though I lost, I was encouraged by the support. I can say I was very happy and surprised.

“People want something different,” she added. “The voters really do want a change and a change for the better. So I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet.”

Holland said voters have not forgotten some of the issues that have plagued the current board, issues like the comprehensive plan, cuts for the schools and law enforcement.

“So many things have happened,” she explained. “I know from my door knocking and canvasing our neighborhoods, there was an outpouring of support. I ran in the district with the most crowded field of candidates, with all six of us running.”

Holland stressed that even though she will have to run as a non-partisan candidate for the general election, her issues “really do remain the same.

“One of the biggest things is taxes,” she added, noting that people are incensed at the high tax rate in the county. She has emphasized the need to bring a strong commercial tax base to Charles County.

“I was a federal worker handling a $100 million dollar budget,” she said. “We can do better with the resources we have. I don’t feel the current county commissioners have done that.”

She said there are federal agencies looking for a place to establish new offices, but with the county’s transportation issues they would never come here to Charles, “but if we do smart planning, we may be able to get a small group to come, which would plant the seed for the future.”

Holland added that both she and her husband have dealt with the county’s transportation issues for years, she riding a commuter bus to Washington, D.C. for 30 years and her husband, who faces a two-hour commute one-way back and forth to his job.

She also pointed to the current board and their slashing of funds intended to help repair schools which are falling into disrepair.

“I mean the infrastructure themselves,” she said. “We have all of these bright, shiny new schools but there are some schools that need repairs drastically. It was just bad all the way around the way they cut funding.”

Holland is hoping more voters turn out in November than the paltry 22 percent of registered voters who took the time to vote in the primary. That could help make up the difference of the previous election, she said.

“I am a registered Democrat and even though I have to run as a write-in candidate, my democratic values have not changed.”

Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com