What’s the job: The legislative branch of Maryland’s county governments. Responsible for introducing and voting on legislation, approving county spending and providing oversight of county operations. Elected to a four-year term.

Democratic

Name: Julie K. Hummer

Julie K. Hummer.
Julie K. Hummer. (Friends of Julie Hummer)

Age: 58

Personal: Married, husband Jon, five grown children.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, English, University of Virginia; master’s degree, special education, Old Dominion University.

Experience: Member, Anne Arundel County Council (2022-present), including chair (2024-present) and vice chair (2023-2024); member, Anne Arundel County Board of Education (2015-2020), including president (2017-2019) and vice president (2016-2017); legislative committee chair, Maryland Association of Boards of Education; president, Brock Bridge Elementary PTA.

Questionnaire

A: My top priority for District 4 is to continue to provide the services our residents need and have come to expect, even in the face of state and federal funding cuts. This means providing the crucial medical and social services for our most vulnerable residents as well as continuing to improve our roads, parks and other infrastructure that make our communities welcoming places to live.

A: My top priority for the county echoes that of my top priority for the district: continue to provide the services our residents need and have come to expect even in the face of state and federal spending cuts.

A: The council’s role is to create and support initiatives that promote job and housing creation, such as incentives for redevelopment of underused properties, funding for small-business programs through the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation, and funding and support for affordable housing programs through the Housing Trust Fund and other programs. The council should also work with the county executive to reduce and eliminate the bureaucracy and excessive time it takes for permitting and planning approvals.

A: Ideally, the council should be a governing partner with the county executive to work together to provide the best service toward shared county priorities. However, as an equal branch of government, the council also provides a vital check to actions by the county executive that may exceed his authority or are not in the best interest of the county. It’s an important relationship that requires mutual trust and respect to best meet the needs of all residents of Anne Arundel County.

A: In 2024, the council passed the Housing Attainability Act, a groundbreaking bill that created a moderately priced dwelling unit (MPDU) program for new developments in the county, as well as expanded the types of housing that can be built. This bill was created after nine months of collaborative work with stakeholders, community members, councilmembers and county staff. I voted for a previous version of this bill in 2023 that was not as comprehensive and would not have yielded the desired results. Looking back, I would not have voted for the first version of the bill (which failed 3-4), but I am proud of the ultimate outcome.

Name: Josh D. Peters

Joshua Peters.
Josh D. Peters. (Courtesy of Joshua Peters)

Age: 47

Personal: Runs a martial arts gym. School teacher for over 13 years.

Education: B.A., elementary education, American University.

Experience: Runs Combat Principles Mixed Martial Arts in Burtonsville for students from age 3 to 90. Taught elementary School at Longfields Elementary and William Paca Elementary schools in Prince George’s County and Kenilworth Elementary and Kingsbury Day School in Washington, D.C.

Questionnaire

A: Economic development.

A: Develop the middle class in order to expand the tax base so that services can continue to be fully funded.

A: The county council takes a critical role through zoning, PLA agreements and allocation of resources. County council needs to The link between developers, the business world and residence.

A: Ideally the county council is both a count on the county executive as well as a good faith partner with them. The county council also needs to be a voice for the community which they represent.

A: Recently a bill was passed by the majority of the county council to change land zoning in the two rivers community. I would have voted to keep the land zoned so it would not be further developed. I will try to work with my colleagues on the county council in order to reverse this decision.

Republican

Name: Tom Wieland

Age: 72

Personal: Married, two children, three grandchildren.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park; bachelor’s degree, pharmacy, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.

Experience: Owner, Ritchie Pharmacy; treasurer, IPMD (Independent Pharmacies of Maryland).

Questionnaire

A: Traffic congestion, roads, the truth about who’s funding the present local politicians and why. No more housing construction in school zones where the schools are at capacity.

A: Like Prince George’s County and Harford County have zoning for gas power facilities, I’d like to see Anne Arundel County at least say they would stop closing power plants and approve zoning for gas power plants. The roads and bridges are a mess and if Anne Arundel County continues to grow, something needs to change in the way roads are maintained.

A: No more housing construction in school zones where the schools are at capacity. No more LARGE commercial/industrial buildings unless the roads and infrastructure are guaranteed to be done before buildings are finished.

A: The county council is both a check on the county executive and his proposed budget and also a governing partner.

A: There have been many votes by the majority Democrats on the county council that allowed building and housing zoning changes that the residents of that area were against. If elected, I would not vote for zoning issues the local residents were not in favor of.