Long-simmering grievances and disagreements over how tens of millions of taxpayer dollars are spent in Prince George’s County blew up on Tuesday when the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission put out a lengthy statement blasting the Prince George’s County Council for transferring tens of millions of dollars from its budget.
The war of words continued into Wednesday. After a lawsuit was subsequently filed by the commission, county leaders did not hold back in their criticism of the agency.
Hours after the council fixed the errors in the new budget, the commission put out a statement warning that tens of millions of dollars in cuts and nearly $40 million more in transfers to other council programs would be destabilizing and threaten jobs and services.
“The Commission was blindsided by the magnitude of the planned transfer and reductions,” said the Tuesday statement. “The Commission believes that a more transparent and deliberative process is essential not only for agencies but for the residents who ultimately rely on these services.”
This is all happening after state lawmakers told the county earlier this year to stop raiding the commission’s bank accounts after more than $27 million was moved by the county council from the commission to other parts of the county budget.
In a new statement on Wednesday, the commission argued, “the transfer of more than $39 million, by July 1, without submission of receipts or invoices, before any services have been provided, and without proper vetting through the Commission’s procurement process, raises serious concerns about legal authority and our ability to provide the services the residents of Prince George’s County expect from us.”
The commission also says it needs the courts to intervene and “protect the public trust and ensure these resources are used as intended.”
County leaders raised their own concerns about how the commission spends its money and suggested it’s doing a better job of making sure M-NCPPC money is being used for its intended purposes.
“One of the things that we thought was interesting was that they wanted to give themselves a 99% increase in the director’s office,” said County Executive Aisha Braveboy. “The chair was asking for a … over $300,000 salary. So, you were asking me why they wanted to take money meant for residents and give it to themselves?”
Council Chair Ed Burroughs, for his part, went even more aggressive with the commission’s spending priorities.
“What park and planning has done has spent over $100 million on a corporate headquarters building,” said Burroughs. “Yesterday, I was outside of Tucker Road Community Center because they canceled the Oxon Hill Boys and Girls Club’s ability to use the field because they didn’t pay $3,500 in a light usage fee. How is it possible when we pay so much money to park and planning as taxpayers?”
“I welcome the conversation and debate around park and planning,” he added. “It’s a large entity that Prince George’s County taxpayers gives hundreds of millions of dollars to every single year, and so we should be debating what is an appropriate use of those funds.”
But the commission suggests it’s a debate that Burroughs might want to have, but legally cannot.
The lawsuit argues the county believes it has “unfettered access to and control over tax dollars collected for the Commission.” But it says the law is clear that the commission has “control over these tax funds to carry out its powers and duties.”
The county plainly sees things differently.
A statement issued Wednesday morning said, “Prince George’s County has reviewed the allegations in the M-NCPPC’s lawsuit. The Office of Law strongly disagrees with their interpretation of governing laws and will vigorously defend the County’s interests in this case. The project charges agreements between the County and Commission that the Commission is now challenging have been in place for over two decades and have benefited communities all throughout Prince George’s County.”
The county also said the lawsuit was the commission’s attempt to defund critical programs from around the county, something the commission itself would happen if the money transfer goes through.
It’s not clear when the two seeds will begin to meet to hash it out inside a courtroom.
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