2026 Candidate Spotlight: Meet Billy W. Bridges

CHELTENHAM, MD — Billy W. Bridges has entered the race for Prince George's County Executive. Patch posed questions to each candidate running for office.

Below you will find Bridges' responses, verbatim:

Name: Billy W. Bridges

Age on Election Day: 64

Place of residence: Cheltenham, MD

Political Affiliation: Democrat

Email address: bridgesforus@gmail.com

Campaign website: www.bridgedforus.org

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 have worked in politics for over 40 years, offering solutions to local, State, National, and International issues. I have been a candidate for Prince George’s County Executive in 2018 and 2022. In addition, I was an official Write-In-Candidate for the United States Senate from Maryland in 2024. From all of my collected experiences, I have learned that voters really want solutions and answers to issues, but establishment politics prevent available solutions. It is my pledge to work around all of those obstacles which prevent voters from being provided the best service from their government.

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?

Prince George’s County is no different than the rest of the USA, in its desire for better health care, better public safety, better schools, and better economic conditions. My campaign is focused on governing with a Christian Spirit to improve our health care, safety, schools, and wealth. My New Prince George’s County Plan, which I introduced in 2018, gives detail descriptions of how we will accomplish these goals, without adding burdens to the taxpayers.

How do you differ from other candidates running against you?

One of the main things which separates me from other candidates is that I accept no donations, public or private. I have always been self-financed. This eliminates any possibility of owing anyone favors, allowing strings to be pulled by groups or individuals who donated, which allows me to govern freely. The other thing that separates me is that I am the only candidate with training, experience, or education, in all of the areas which are managed by the County Executive.

This includes training and experience in accounting, finance, auditing, and law enforcement via active duty in the U.S. Air Force. For the past 28 years, I have been with the Prince George’s County Public Schools, performing duties in school leadership, in the classroom as a teacher, and information technology. My formal education includes B.A. in Political Science, M.A. in Pastoral Counseling, Master of Public Administration, M.S. in Leadership and Emergency Management, Completing a Masters in Legal Studies.

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

My work experience, training, and educations benefit the goals and objectives I have laid out in my campaign, by allowing me to list the solutions and steps outlined in my New Prince George’s County Plan. As a hands-on leader, I know that delegating can be dangerous without the leader making sure the Plan is being implemented properly. I have seen too many instances of leaders trying to apologize and explain away failures by subordinates operating on delegated authority. The buck must stop with the leader.

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?

I prefer not to get into personal attacks or criticisms. Yet, I do believe the establishment politics of Prince George’s County are riddled with nepotism, corruption, and governmental failures for many years. This has led to higher taxes, less services, poor infrastructures, failing schools, exploding housing costs, out of control development, bigger divide between haves and have nots, persistent crime problems, and embarrassing perceptions of the County.

My New Prince George’s County Plan is based on solutions and not excuses. It addresses every area of County government, and how it will work going forward. The Plan is fair to all residents, and will improve the health care, safety, schools, and wealth for residents. I included the Office of Inspector General in the initial 2018 Plan, to keep government honest and effective.

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

It is my belief that the Prince George’s County Public Schools are just hanging on. There is a divide and wide disparity in schools, depending on which part of the County one lives. New school construction is lagging, and many students are in buildings that are not safe, crowded and not healthy. All of this continues while school board leaders are making plans to move central offices to improved facilities. There are too many inequalities and inconsistencies, which burden students and school staff.

I believe in a total reorganizing of the school system, centralized budgeting, fast track new school construction, resource officers in every school, smaller class sizes, less testing, improved standard curriculum, more vocational training programs beginning in middle school, consistent education model across all schools, self-contained special education, specialized training for teachers teaching students with any disability, standardized discipline process across all schools, monthly County sponsored events for middle and high school students with no attendance or discipline issues, and implementing the community school model into all schools.

How do you feel about crime in your area and what steps can be taken to reduce it?

Crime is a serious issue. True public safety looks after all communities. Our New Prince George’s County Plan transitions from police to Public Safety Officers (PSOs), who will patrol within a 5–10-mile radius of where they live. This brings the PSOs into their community. There will be live monitored surveillance cameras to deter crime and solve crime. Officers will be provided more opportunities to mentor youth in sports leagues and hobbies. Increased Crime Stopper rewards will be vital for anonymous reporting to prevent crime, and get guns off the streets. Body cams will be immediately mandatory for all officers. Through technology, response times will be under 3 minutes.

What do you think about the economic climate and business sector in your community, and what initiatives could propel it forward?

The poor, working class, and middle class are struggling. The divide between rich and poor is growing. Between higher property taxes, higher housing costs, and higher utility costs, the cost of living is becoming unbearable for many. The New Prince George’s County Plan calls for an Office of Urban and Suburban Planning. My Plan will create the Prince George’s Citizen Investment Bank, as a private entity with government oversight.

With investments starting as little as $100, all citizens will be able to pool their money and have part in all future development projects identified by the Office of Urban and Suburban Planning. This will mean that for all size developments, the citizens will have ownership and begin to increase their wealth, create jobs for neighbors, and see their move to generational wealth. The revenues generated by the development projects will bring in more revenues, which will allow us to lower property taxes, and eventually eliminate them for those at least 65 years of age. The increased housing projects will also create more inventory, and through competition with current large property owners, lower housing costs for so many of our neighbors. The County can also increase revenues by recycling and selling certain materials.

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

There is far too much commuter traffic in the mornings and evenings. This adds to air pollution and unsafe driving conditions. I think it best to implement a free bus service with flex fuel buses, that ride through all neighborhoods to pick up riders at designated bus stops. The buses could run every 10 to 15 minutes, and transport riders to metro stations or to centralized stops. Another option could be a free Express bus all the way into Washington D.C. The frequency of the buses and free cost would lessen traffic congestion, provide cleaner air, and save residents money on transportation.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I only seek one term, to lay the foundation for a New Prince George’s County. Our residents deserve so much more than they are receiving. I know governing with a Christian Spirit, we can improve our health care, safety, schools, and wealth, regardless of race or religion. Thank you and GOD Bless!