2026 Candidate Spotlight: Meet Paula S. Etting

BEL AIR, MD — Paula S. Etting has entered the race for Harford County Council District C. Patch posed questions to each candidate running for office.

Below you will find Etting's responses, verbatim:

Name: Paula S. Etting
Age on Election Day: 67
Hometown: Bel Air
Political Affiliation: Republican
Email address: ElectPaulaSEtting@gmail.com
Campaign website: PaulaSEtting.com
Facebook page: Facebook.com/ElectPaulaSEtting

Do you have any previous political experience? If so, please state and explain how that experience will influence your time in office, if elected.

I was elected to the Bel Air Board of Town Commissioners in 2021 and have served as Mayor since 2023. I am the only candidate in this race with direct experience balancing
budgets, setting priorities, and making the tough decisions required to govern responsibly.

During my time serving the people of Bel Air, I have worked to deliver results while protecting taxpayers and preserving our community’s character. I am proud of my record, which includes:

• Balancing the Town’s budget every year without raising taxes or cutting essential services.
• Strengthening green space requirements to encourage responsible growth and preserve open space.
• Updating density regulations to prevent future high-density development and protect Bel Air’s small-town character.
• Fully funding the Bel Air Police Department’s budget request each year to support public safety and ensure our officers have the resources they need.

These experiences have taught me how to work through complex issues, listen to residents, work as a team with my fellow commissioners, and make fiscally responsible
decisions that serve the long-term interests of the community.

Harford County is my home. If elected to the County Council, I will bring the same conservative values, practical leadership, and proven record of responsible governance that I have demonstrated in Bel Air.

What do you believe is the single most important issue facing voters in the district you’re looking to represent? How do you intend to address those issues?

The single most important issue facing District C and Harford County is land use. I oppose high-density development that is out of character with Harford County and that strains our schools, roads, public safety services, and infrastructure. Growth must be responsible, controlled, and consistent with the communities we have worked hard to build.

We also face new threats, including massive data centers, industrial-scale solar fields, and battery storage facilities. We cannot sacrifice our farmland and agricultural heritage for projects that permanently change the character of our County. I support the County Executive’s proposed ban on data centers in Harford County, and I will continue to support policies that protect our communities from incompatible development.

Harford County’s Comprehensive Master Plan serves as the blueprint for our future, guiding decisions on zoning, transportation, schools, parks, public safety, housing, and
environmental stewardship. The upcoming 2027 update to the Master Plan must prioritize responsible growth, infrastructure capacity, and the preservation of the character and quality of life of our communities.

I oppose expanding the public water and sewer service area or the development envelope because expansion will directly fuel high-density growth. We are already seeing attempts by Annapolis to force more high-density housing into local
communities, regardless of local concerns. Limiting water and sewer expansion is one of the most effective tools we have to prevent such high-density developments.

My goal is simple: preserve what makes Harford County a great place to live while ensuring growth occurs responsibly and in a way that respects our residents and communities.

How do you differ from other candidates running against you?

What sets me apart from the other candidates is my combination of proven leadership, government experience, and longstanding commitment to conservative principles.

I was elected to the Bel Air Board of Town Commissioners in 2021 and have served as Mayor since 2023. As the only candidate with experience balancing budgets and making the tough decisions that come with governing, I have a proven record of delivering results while protecting taxpayers.
In addition, I spent decades as an attorney in the Harford County Department of Law.

That experience gave me firsthand knowledge of how County government operates, how policies are implemented, and how decisions made by elected officials affect residents and taxpayers. I will be able to step into the role ready to contribute on day one. I also offer consistency in my values and principles. I am the only lifelong Republican in the District C race. Both of my opponents changed their party affiliation to Republican in 2025 shortly before filing as candidates in this race. I remain committed to conservative principles including fiscal responsibility, limited government, public safety, and
responsible growth.

Voters deserve a representative who has both the experience to lead and the conviction to stand by her principles. My record and qualifications make me uniquely prepared to serve on the County Council.

How would your work experience benefit the goals/objectives you’ve outlined in your campaign and/or the office you’re seeking?

I was elected to the Bel Air Board of Town Commissioners in 2021 and have served as Mayor since 2023. As the only candidate with experience balancing budgets and making the tough decisions that come with governing, I have a proven record of delivering results while protecting taxpayers.

In addition, I spent decades as an attorney in the Harford County Department of Law. That experience gave me firsthand knowledge of how County government operates, how policies are implemented, and how decisions made by elected officials affect residents and taxpayers. I will be able to step into the role ready to contribute on day one. My record and qualifications make me uniquely prepared to serve on the County Council.

What is your opinion of the work being done by the current office holder, and how will you improve on it? If that is you – how do you plan to continue improving upon what you’ve already accomplished?

Tony “G” Giangiordano is the current County Council representative for District C. He is not running for re-election to his seat on the County Council as he is seeking election to
the office of County Council President.

As Mayor of Bel Air, I meet regularly with Councilman Giangiordano to discuss issues that affect both the Town and District C.

How do you feel about the school system in your area and what improvements would you like to see made?

While the State sets broad education policy, local school boards control day-to-day operations, budgeting, and curriculum decisions – as they should. Parents and local
communities know their children best. The County Executive submits the budget, and under Maryland’s “maintenance of effort” law, the County must provide at least the same level of school funding as the previous year. Historically, Harford County has gone beyond that minimum, and I support
continuing to invest in quality education.

Providing our children with a quality education is one of government’s most important responsibilities. Our teachers and students deserve the resources necessary to succeed. But taxpayers also deserve accountability. I will scrutinize every dollar to ensure school funding is spent efficiently, effectively, and in the classroom — not wasted on unnecessary bureaucracy.

For too long, our schools have drifted away from their core mission: educating children and preparing them for success in life. We need to refocus our schools on academic excellence, discipline, and parental involvement. That starts with putting more resources into classrooms and teachers, and less into growing layers of administration.

I will support and confirm strong conservative candidates for the Board of Education who will restore common sense to our schools, while keeping the focus where it belongs – academic achievement.

What do you think about crime in your area and what steps can be taken to reduce it?
Harford County is one of the safest places to live in Maryland, and my goal is to keep it that way. My husband and I chose to raise our family here because it was a safe and family friendly place to live. Today, we still live here for those same reasons.

We have seen the consequences in nearby jurisdictions when crime is not addressed effectively. Rising crime undermines neighborhoods, discourages investment, and drives families and businesses away. Harford County must protect the safety and quality of life that residents expect and deserve. As a former prosecutor, I understand the importance of holding criminals accountable and ensuring our justice system works effectively. I also understand the challenges facing law enforcement today. Police work has become more difficult, more dangerous, and more challenging to recruit for than ever before.

Public safety is personal for my family. My son serves as a police officer with the Baltimore Police Department, currently assigned to SWAT, and my husband, Errol, retired as a lieutenant in the Baltimore Police Department’s Homicide Unit. Their experiences have reinforced my appreciation for the sacrifices law enforcement officers make every day to protect our communities.

As a County Council member, I will continue to support law enforcement by ensuring the Sheriff’s Office has the resources it needs to keep our communities safe. Harford County must remain competitive in salaries and benefits to recruit and retain highly qualified officers. I also support investing in modern public safety technology, including cameras, drones, and other tools that help law enforcement prevent crime, improve response times, and enhance officer safety.

What do you think about the economic climate in your area and business sector in your community, and what initiatives could propel it forward?
The County must take advantage of having a prepared workforce, being the home of APG, its location along the I-95 corridor between Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia, and the quality of life it offers. Harford County is a safe place to live and raise your family or locate your business. All these things will help to attract new
businesses and retain the existing ones in the County.

How do you feel about transportation options in the area and what, if anything, should be improved upon?

My top transportation priorities are improving pedestrian safety, reducing crashes, and keeping traffic moving efficiently. Public safety must come first when making
transportation decisions. The County has already taken steps in that direction, including installing a roundabout
at a major crash location to improve safety and traffic flow.

Each year, Harford County submits priority transportation projects on State roads to the Maryland Department of
Transportation for State funding based on local safety and traffic needs.

Projects on County roads are funded through the County’s capital budget and current revenues. As a Council member, I will support practical infrastructure improvements that
improve safety, reduce congestion, and protect taxpayers by focusing on projects that deliver real results for our communities.

What else would you like the voters to know about you?
I was the first person in my family to attend college. I am an honors graduate of Johns Hopkins University and a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law.

After passing the bar, I worked in the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office, prosecuting cases ranging from shoplifting and traffic offenses to robberies, kidnappings, and homicides in Circuit Court. I was later hired by the Harford County
Department of Law, where I handled a wide range of litigation—car accidents, contracts, zoning—and practiced in District Court, Circuit Court, and Maryland’s appellate courts.

My husband, Errol, and I have been married for 45 years. Errol was a lieutenant in Homicide with the Baltimore City Police Department when he retired. We raised our two children here and now that they are grown, we intend to stay here in Harford County.

Harford is home.

Having retired and finished raising my own family, I ran for office for the first time in 2021. I was elected to the Bel Air Board of Town Commissioners in 2021 and have been honored to serve as Mayor since 2023.

The election is crucial. We need the right people to serve on the County Council. And as a conservative Republican, I am the right person to represent District C.

My promise to you is simple: every decision I make will be guided by what is best for Harford County, District C, and the people that call Harford County home.

Thank you and I hope I have earned your vote.