Health & Fitness
Harden Tapped for Revenue Authority Board
Former council candidate who would fill remainder of Les Pittler's term was plagued by reports of tax liens and housing code violations during 2010 campaign.
Gordon Harden, a retired insurance broker who ran for a seat on the Baltimore County Council, has been tapped to fill a vacancy on the Baltimore County Revenue Authority.
Harden's name was sent to County Executive Kevin Kamenetz last week, according to Council Chairwoman Vicki Almond who confirmed the council's selection.
In 2010, he ran for a seat on the Baltimore County Council. His campaign was dogged by reports that he was being funded by two development attorneys and legal issues surrounding a failure to pay taxes as well as housing code violations.
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The county executive has sole responsibility for appointing the five-member board but the council has been allowed to name one those members under a gentlemen's agreement that dates back to the mid-1990s.
Don Mohler, a spokesman for Kamenetz, told Patch two weeks ago that the county executive intended to continue to honor the arrangement.
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If Harden's appointment is formally accepted by Kamenetz, he will serve out the 15 months remaining on the term of Les Pittler.
Pittler, a Timonium attorney, after 14 years on the board.
In the last few years, Pittler fashioned himself a reputation as a watchdog at the quasi-public agency that oversees public parking garages and lots and five public golf courses.
Harden ran for County Council in the 5th District, which currently stretches roughly from Towson to Perry Hall. He had the support of former County Executive Jim Smith as well as David Gildea and Smith's son Michael Paul.
Gildea and Michael Paul Smith both raised tens of thousands of dollars for Harden as well as then-candidates Cathy Bevins and Tom Quirk, two Democrats who were elected to their first terms in 2010.
Harden's campaign was plagued by reports of more than filed against him as well as dozens of housing code violations on properties he owned. Two of those cases resulted in 13 misdemeanor charges and a sentence of probation before judgement.
Ultimately, Harden lost his bid for the council in the Democratic primary.
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