The fate of potential surplus land at Spring Grove State Hospital campus in Catonsville seems to be having a powerful impact on the County Council race in the 1st District of Baltimore County. The issue has given two inexperienced candidates (Rebecca Dongarra and Greg Morgan) some momentum in the contest even though they face two other better-connected and more experienced Democrats.

Tom Quirk is the party "heir apparent" and chamber of commerce crony, while Brian Bailey is the ambitious and young chairman of the Democratic Central Committee in Baltimore County. Ms. Dongarra and Mr. Morgan are both opposed to high-density development at Spring Grove. Mr. Quirk has long supported high-density development on the site (though lately he's waffled slightly). Mr. Bailey, somewhat like Mr. Quirk, has been timid and equivocal on the issue.

I'll make a bold prediction right now: Baltimore County's 1st Council District seat will be won by the person who is most successful in showing voters that they will maximize open space at Spring Grove. So far, I am not persuaded by any single Democratic candidate, and I have talked directly to them all. Thus the door is open for one of them to move ahead by taking a stronger and more articulate position about wise development in our region and connecting their positions to at least the following other issues: environmental degradation; business development in nearby zones; law enforcement dispersion; traffic; tax incentives; historic preservation; and racial discrimination issues.

Presently, I am tempted by Republican Steve Whisler, who says that he would work to down-zone Spring Grove so as to prevent high-density development there. It remains to be seen if any of the five candidates can truly persuade voters that their passion and skill will be able to protect our region against pernicious land-use decisions like those proposed at Spring Grove. It's a story that has relevance statewide as developer influence is politics is nothing new, and Spring Grove is a state resource of considerable value.

Michael Abrams, Catonsville