Franchot says he won't run for governor

Franchot expressed relief that his next two years will not be taken up with the enormous task of raising the money it would have taken to run a competitive race for governor.

"I can stick to the fiscal issues and the basics and do the job the people elected me to do," he said. Franchot said he plans to stay neutral in the gubernatorial primary.

Franchot said one of his ambitions as comptroller is to make the state's tax system as close to 100 percent paper-free as possible. He said electronic filing accounted for 40 percent to 50 percent of tax returns when he took office and is up to about 75 percent now.

"We have the best comptroller's office in the country," he said. "I want to keep it that way."

michael.dresser@baltsun.com

Peter Franchot

Occupation: Maryland comptroller

Party: Democrat

Age: 65

Home: Takoma Park

Family: Married, two children

Military: Army, 1968-1970

Education: B.A., Amherst College, 1973. J.D., Northeastern University School of Law, 1978

Political career: House of Delegates, 1987-2007; Comptroller, 2007-present

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