Sen. Gladden Wants No Part of Baltimore County

State Sen. Lisa Gladden, D-District 41, made it clear she doesn’t want to see the district she represents expanded into Western Baltimore County.

“They don’t want me and I don’t want them,” Gladden said.

Gladden made the comments during a meeting of the Roland Park Civic League Thursday night. The Maryland General Assembly is set to take up the redistricting of the state legislature in January.

Gladden argued a district that represents both city and county would be disservice to residents.  She said the city has its own particular set of problems that legislators need to focus on. She added that she didn’t want to take the time to get familiar with the issues in Baltimore County.

The three-term senator also took a jab at county residents by pointing out that they chose to move out of the city.

Currently the 41st District covers parts of West, Northwest and North Baltimore including Roland Park and Mount Washington.

Gladden also said she spoke to former State Sen. Barbara Hoffman, who Gladden defeated in the 2002 Democratic primary after the 41st District was adjusted after the 2000 census, and said Hoffman told her to “stand her ground” on opposing a shift to the county.

Although Gov. Martin O’Malley, a Democrat and former mayor of Baltimore has not yet introduced a redistricting map, Gladden said there have been discussions about possibly extending the district into the Randallstown, Pikesville, Reisterstown and Owings Mills areas.

The city currently has six legislative districts in the city. But because of the loss in population in the most recent census the city will either lose a district or one maybe extended into the county to make up for the loss of population.

But during the same meeting Del. Shawn Tarrant, D-District 40, disagreed with Gladden’s assertion that a split district would be bad for the city. Tarrant argued that a split district would be better than losing a whole district.

Tarrant used the city congressional delegation as an example of spilt representation being a positive for the city. Rep. Elijah Cummings, Rep. John Sarbanes and Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger represent portions of Baltimore City and surrounding counties.

“But they’re there when we need them,” Tarrant said.

He also said that losing a full district would mean the city would drop from 18 members of the House of Delegates where as a split district would at least keep delegates with a partial interest in the city.

But Gladden’s feelings may also be mutual in Baltimore County. During a meeting of the Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Committee in Randallstown in September alike made it clear they oppose split county and city districts.

“The status quo is that Baltimore County is breached by three districts that are represented by people of other counties,” Sen. Delores Kelley said during that meeting. “And they vote in our county delegations. It is very difficult to work with representatives of other counties.”

Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, a Democrat, has lobbied state officials this year on the issue and asked that no districts cross into Baltimore City or into Harford County. The one exception appears to be the 12th District that includes a portion of Howard County, according to a source close to the county executive who spoke on background.

Associate Regional Editor Bryan P. Sears contributed to this story.