New Year, Same Concerns

In case you’re wondering where I have been for the past few weeks, the pace of my real job (the one that pays the bills) has been keeping me unbelievably busy. The blog has taken a backseat to family and work priorities, which I am sure most of you understand. There’s also been little space to say anything “new.” Most of the blog posts from a year ago could be cut and pasted into my 2012 archive. Let’s do a quick review:

• The County’s projected deficit of $126 million for FY 2013 is nearly double from what it was at this time last year, when it was a reported $77 million. Somehow, our County Executive still found a $50 million “surplus” to start an economic development fund. So far, we can’t tell how a dime of it has been spent, as the online tracking system indicates the last update occurred on September 30, 2011. The County Executive’s “Pledge for Prince George’s County” promised to “deliver a comprehensive job creation, competitive housing market, and economic growth plan within the first 100 days.” I have never seen this plan, and if it exists it surely isn’t delivering the kind of economic growth we need to fix our budgetary woes.
• A year ago today, I attend one of the first Accountability, Compliance, and Integrity Task Force meetings. Part of the County Executive’s plan for ethics reform, the Task Force was asked to come up with recommendations that would help fulfill Baker’s “Pledge” for comprehensive thics reform for all elected officials. One of the Task Force’s key findings was that the County should hire an Inspector General to help identify ethics violations and determine areas where waste, fraud, and abuse were occurring. This would have been very helpful in closing our budget gap too, but since an Inspector General will not be hired, that won’t help us in 2012. We still haven’t received any indication that a comprehensive ethics reform package has been delivered, just a tweak of a couple of laws last year that I’m not sure will deliver genuine reform.
• Speaking of ethics, Jack and Leslie Johnson still walk free today. Thankfully, the wheels of justice move more quickly than the wheels of our County government. Although today it was announced that Jack’s date to report to prison was pushed back to February 18, and Leslie doesn’t report until March 9, at least they are both headed where they belong.
• County Council is not exempt from criticism either. They once again ignored the will of their constituents, who clearly weren’t happy with their lavish retreat spending last year, and headed out of town for “focused work” on the 2012 agenda. Their “retreat” at a hotel in Baltimore cost taxpayers approximately$11,000, and none of those dollars were even spent in our County. Once again, we learn that our elected officials are not really “just like us” because they enjoy spending on Gucci while they are operating on a Sears budget.
• To our credit, we didn’t kick off 2012 with 12 homicides in 12 days. But that doesn’t mean we are exempt from public safety concerns. Our homicide rate has moving along at a steady clip for the past year, and I haven’t seen any changes to the criminal justice system, that were promised in the “Pledge for Prince George’s County,” that have really helped curb crime.

The good news? After all the time I have spent blogging about the Prince George’s County Schools, it seems that they have taken a step in the right direction with a School-Based Budgeting system. I think it will give schools (and their communities) more input in addressing specific needs. I think it could still use some improvement, but that’s for another blog post, coming soon. In the meantime, what do you think? Has anything promised in Baker’s Pledge for Prince George’s County been delivered? I’d call the County to find out, but I’m not sure where to begin because we’re also still waiting for the all-access number called 311.

The Wide Reach of Corruption in Prince George’s County Ties Into PGCPS

With the sentencing of Jack and Leslie Johnson, many believe the final chapter is closed on corruption in Prince George’s County. U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein reminded us that those who think they slid under the radar of federal authorities should not rest easy just yet. A quick look at the campaign contributions by Ricker Brothers should tell us all that corruption within Prince George’s County politics didn’t end with Jack Johnson.

Dr. Baig was not the only person handing over cash to Jack in this scandal.  For those who might have already forgotten, Daniel Colton and Patrick Ricker, who represent Ricker Brothers, are serving time in federal prison for their roles in bribing public officials, uncovered during the FBI’s investigation of Jack Johnson.

Turns out Daniel Colton and Patrick Ricker are well known to most of the County’s elected officials, even if they are not household names among voters. They gave money to the campaigns of dozens of people who supposedly represent us. Even after their convictions, I’m not aware of any politician who decided to return their “tainted” money.

Although I would love to explore each and every politician’s ties to Ricker Brothers, because I am most concerned about Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS), one political contribution surprised me more than the others. Ricker Brothers was very generous to our PGCPS School Board Chair, Verjeana “Jeana” Jacobs, giving $1,000 to her campaign for the School Board. Statter 911 did an excellent job of reporting Colton and Ricker’s ties to Jacob’s husband, David. So perhaps even though Ricker Brothers has no stake in the quality of our School Board’s elected leaders, they might have had a interest in where the School Board spent their capital money. I’ve not been able to confirm who actually owns Washington Plaza and their sales representative won’t comment, but let me just point out that it sits adjacent to the Westphalia development, which was a major project of Daniel Colton and Patrick Ricker according to an September 28, 2009 article from the Washington Post.

Verjeana Jacobs was one of the fiercest advocates of moving School Board headquarters to Washington Plaza, which eventually was nixed by the General Assembly and wasted millions of taxpayer dollars in the process. A PGCPS Fact Sheet (dated December 15, 2008, just Google it) showcases the benefits of the move.  Is it any surprise that her husband was a registered lobbyist for Ricker Brothers around the same time (November 2008-September 2009)? In a further twist, David Jacobs stepped down from that position to become a registered lobbyist for the Prince George’s County Council. You can’t make this stuff up! Perhaps the answer is as simple as Jeana Jacobs’ husband lobbied for the Ricker Brothers, and they were kind enough to make a contribution to her campaign because of that connection. I’m not sure I’d want to be associated with them too closely now that they are in federal prison. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m sure the FBI has the resources to put all the puzzle pieces together, and is hopefully working hard to do so.

I think we should ask Verjeana Jacobs to clear her record by disclosing whether her ties to Ricker Brothers had anything to do with the Washington Plaza deal. The owners of the Plaza aren’t talking. At least, I’ve asked them about it and they declined to comment. I encourage my readers to give them a call too. Then right after you do that, call all of your other elected officials that gladly took Ricker Brother’s money (including our current County Executive), and ask them to return it so we can remove the stain of his corruption from our County for good. 

Here’s a list of all the candidates and slates who took money from Ricker Brothers to support their campaign activities:

ACHIEVEMENT 2000; Prince Georgians For A New Millenuim Slate	$250.00
ACHIEVEMENT 2000; Prince Georgians For A New Millenuim Slate	$500.00
ACHIEVEMENT 2000; Prince Georgians For A New Millenuim Slate	$250.00
Baker, Rushern III Friends Of-Comm For Pol Change (CPC)	$250.00
Benson, Joanne C. Friends Of	$200.00
Benson, Joanne C. Friends Of	$1,000.00
Better Communities Committee Slate	$100.00
Better Communities Committee Slate	$500.00
Black, Alonzo (AL), Citizens to Elect	$100.00
Black, Alonzo (AL), Citizens to Elect	$100.00
Black, Alonzo (AL), Citizens to Elect	$100.00
Branch, Talmadge Friends of	$1,000.00
Branch, Talmadge Friends of	$100.00
Committee For A Progressive Prince Georges Slate	$250.00
Currie, Ulysses Friends Of	$1,000.00
Currie, Ulysses Friends Of	$200.00
Currie, Ulysses Friends Of	$2,000.00
Democratic State Central Committee Of Maryland	$1,500.00
Democrats 2000 Slate	$1,000.00
Duncan, Doug Friends Of	$500.00
Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland Committee	$4,000.00
Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland Committee	$150.00
Grady, Milt Friends Of	$100.00
Green, Leo Friends Of	$250.00
Healey, Anne Friends Of	$250.00
Healey, Anne Friends Of	$250.00
Holmes, Marvin E. Jr. Friends Of	$250.00
Ivey, Glenn Friends Of	$1,000.00
Ivey, Glenn Friends Of	$250.00
Jackson, Michael Friends Of	$500.00
Jacobs, Jeana Citizens For	$1,000.00
Judges, Comm. To Ret. Sitting C.C. Bruce, Warren, Jaklitsch	$1,000.00
Lawlah, Gloria Friends Of	$500.00
Lawlah, Gloria Friends Of	$500.00
Merkowitz, David Friends Of	$100.00
Miller, Mike Marylanders For	$1,000.00
Miller, Mike Marylanders For	$1,000.00
Miller, Mike Marylanders For	$1,000.00
Miller, Mike Marylanders For	$1,000.00
Miller, Mike Marylanders For	$1,000.00
O’Donnell, Tony Friends Of	$500.00
O’Donnell, Tony Friends Of	$1,000.00
Patterson, Obie Committee To Elect	$250.00
Patterson, Obie Committee To Elect	$400.00
Patuxent Progressive Leadership Slate	$4,000.00
Skerpon, Lynn Loughlin Friends Of	$100.00
Skerpon, Lynn Loughlin Friends Of	$100.00
Swain, Darren M. Friends Of/Visionaries 2000	$100.00
Townsend, Kathleen Kennedy Friends Of	$2,000.00
Townsend, Kathleen Kennedy Friends Of	$1,000.00
Twenty Third District Team Slate	$500.00
Twenty Third District Team Slate	$2,500.00
Victory Team Slate, The	$4,000.00
Victory Team Slate, The	$350.00
Vision For 2006 Slate	$2,000.00
Vision For 2006 Slate	$500.00

What’s at Stake on September 20

Only a very small percentage of the electorate will bother to vote on September 20, or realize that the outcome affects their District’s planning, zoning, and development for the next 11 years. Why didn’t I mention jobs, education, foreclosures, and other hot issues being mentioned on the campaign trail? Because despite what the candidates may say, they have very little influence over their issues. In regard to jobs and foreclosures, they can suggest and tweak policy, but they need their colleagues’ support to move it forward, or the state’s money to get it done (and we all know there’s not much state money up for grabs these days). They can’t change one thing about the School Board’s budget. They can only question and control total resources. Those things, while important, have not changed a thing about the way PGPCS does business, as you have probably figured out.

If you’re Candidate Derrick Leon Davis and will represent County Executive Baker’s crucial fifth vote on initiatives that he wants to push through Council, you do become very valuable when you’re elected. I understand there are lots of fans of our County Executive, and I can understand why. He has done a good job of publicizing himself and the County in the media, and that does count for something since we have been the black sheep of the region for many years. However, in order to get the results he really wants, Mr. Baker needs five votes on Council, and Davis is a sure bet. So yes, Davis’ vote will count alot toward the future of the entire county if he wins. That’s what is really at stake here.

I’m not “sold” on everything Mr. Baker has for sale. After Davis is elected, Baker’s top priority will be approval of his $50 million economic development fund. I don’t disagree that we need better economic development around our metro stations, and we need more quality employment opportunities to keep our residents working here in the county. I am sure everyone could agree on this goal. However, I’m not certain that offering money alone is the answer. Businesses (and their employees) don’t want to be here because they read our homicide headlines every day, and they know that our public schools are at the bottom of the barrel in Maryland. Those problems aren’t going away, and detracts from our ability to be a marketable location for any organization, including the federal government.

If there’s a candidate for District 6 that has a real plan out there for dealing with crime and education first, and a proven track record of being able to successfully negotiate, rather than stall, solutions regarding these issues, then I would love to hear their proposals.

Rushern Baker and Ethics Reform — Serious or Scam?‏

Thanks to pg-politics for sharing.
Where’s the beef IG?

Candidate Rushern Baker’s “30-day plan” as published in the Post Voters Guide and summarized in the Gazette Voters Guide (see below) contained at least an implied promise to act within 30 days on the establishment of an Inspector General.  Mr. Baker also promised several additional reforms:

• Prohibit County Credit Cards for Elected Officials (by executive order)
• Prohibit Gifts, Meals and Beverages for County Officials (by executive order)
• Transparent Government Online  (by executive order)
• County Council Slates (by county ordinance)
• County Council Lobbyists (by county ordinance)
• Contractors reports of campaign contributions (by county ordinance)

Not counting the day of his inauguration he had until 6 Jan 2011 to act on those promises.

• That means he had over seven months to come up with specific plans, executive orders, and proposed ordinances for submission to the county council.
• He had almost four months from the time he won the primary election to come up with specific plans, executive orders, and proposed ordinances for submission to the county council.
• He had about two months from the time he won the general election to come up with specific plans, executive orders, and proposed ordinances for submission to the county council.
• He had almost 50 days from from the time his predecessor and an incoming council member were arrested to come up with specific plans, executive orders, and proposed ordinances for submission to the county council.

So what did Mr.Baker actually do? None of what he promised!

Instead of putting forward specific plans and promulgating executive orders or sending the council proposed ordinances, Mr. Baker took the road followed by too many politicians who want to avoid dealing with tough issues or want cover for breaking their promises–he established a task force to try to hide his failure to act.

Baker’s task force took almost 6 months to draft a report, and came up with the kind of preliminary recommendations that should have been ready long before Baker’s inauguration.  The report did not propose any specifics that could actually be promulgated by the county executive or submitted to the council for enactment.

Writing recently in the Examiner, six weeks after the task force report was submitted, Ben Giles reported that the task force has had no feedback since submitting its report and Baker’s staff says it might be months, possibly not until fiscal 2013, before an Inspector General is appointed, if ever.

Repeating the question: Rushern Baker and Ethics Reform — Serious or Scam?

The lack of any meaningful action by Mr. Baker seems to answer more loudly than the empty words that have come out of his propaganda machine.  It is unfortunate that, except for Mr. Giles, the media seems to have been bamboozled by Mr. Baker’s rhetoric and hasn’t bothered to look beyond it or made any attempt to follow up on or hold him accountable for his promises.

Earlier:

• May 19, 2011, Is Rushern Baker really serious about cleaning up the county’s image?
• January 14, 2011, Status of Rushern Baker’s 30 Day Plan for Ethics Reform

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Excerpt from candidate Rushern Baker’s “30-day plan” as published in the Post Voters Guide on the establishment of an Inspector General.  See my January 14, 2011, posting for the full plan and comments on progress at that time. There has been no substantive progress on the county controlled aspects of the plan since then.

RUSHERNBAKER2010
RAISING OUR STANDARDS
The First Thirty Days as County Executive Thru:
Executive Order
Introduction of Legislation to the County Council
Introduction of Legislation to the House of Delegates
***
Inspector General

The County will create an office of Inspector General to investigate waste, fraud, abuse, mismanagement and conflicts-of-interest in the County government. The Inspector General must be professionally qualified with a background in auditing and public financial management. The Inspector General must be selected based on ability and integrity, without regard to political affiliation. The Inspector General will be appointed by the County Executive and confirmed by the County Council for a fixed term of office that is staggered and non-concurrent with the Executive and Council. The office of inspector general will have its own staff and will enjoy subpoena power. The Inspector General will conduct investigations, review financial managements, examine potential conflicts-of-interest, conduct performance audits and similar reviews, make recommendations, public findings, and make referrals to law enforcement agencies. The Inspector General will also conduct annual ethics audits of locally elected officials and make results public.

[Can be accomplished by county ordinance.]

And Mr. Baker told the Gazette Voters Guide

Much more needs to be done to open government. Major ethics reform is long overdue in Prince George’s County, I will end pay for play practices in government business dealings. I believe in full disclosure and my campaign posts a list of its donors every sixty days. I have also released a comprehensive list of initiatives I will take in my first thirty days. As County Executive I will strive to make government and campaigns more transparent. I also pledge to establish a first ever County Inspector General to police ethics conduct and perform annual ethics audits.

The Final Cost of the Council Retreat

On February 23, I submitted a public records request regarding the total expenses for the Council Retreat that occurred January 10-12, 2011 at the Hyatt Regency in Cambridge, MD. It took the full 30 days to fulfill my request (as County staff are required to do, by law), but at 4:15 p.m. yesterday, the Council’s Legislative Officer finally provided the documents that provided a summary of expenses for the Council’s Retreat. As Council Chairwoman Turner reported back in January, it did cost in the range of $10,000-$15,000. Here’s a summary:

Hyatt Room, Tax, & Resort Fees: $6074.85

According to the details I received, this amount represents the total cost of 39 room nights, at an average of $155.77 per night. A total of 43 room nights were paid in advance, and although I have not received final confirmation from the Council’s staff, I did speak with Councilman Mel Franklin, who stated that he did not stay at the hotel. He chose to decline the offer to save the County money. Good for him. Because of his thriftiness and a couple of extra room nights, the hotel refunded $1,256.71 to the County. I am following up to find out why these four room nights averaged $314 per night, which is more than double the average of the rest of the rooms. Perhaps a few executive suites were a part of that package.

The room nights occupied by Council members represent 16 total room nights (two nights for each of eight Council members who stayed at the hotel). Assuming Council members brought at least one staff person for the two-night stay, that bumps up the total to 32 room nights. That leaves seven additional room nights paid for by the County, but I am not entirely sure who stayed in those rooms, because the Council staff informed me that the rooms were paid for as a block, and they couldn’t provide a list of persons that stayed in the rooms.

Banquet Charges: $3,698.97

These charges represent the two continental breakfasts, two lunches, and one dinner Council was served at the hotel. I’ll let you be the judge of whether or not that seems like a reasonable price to pay for meals when you travel.

Council Reimbursement: $34 (for valet parking for Councilwoman Andrea Harrison)

No other Council members submitted a request for reimbursement. One staff person requested a mileage reimbursement of $56. I’m perfectly okay with that. You can decide for yourself whether Harrison’s request for reimbursement on valet parking her County vehicle seems reasonable. If you live in her district, you can tell her yourself. I don’t live there, but I am proud that my District 9 Councilman did not incur that kind of expense.

Water’s Edge Restaurant: $3093.67

This is the final bill for the Council’s dinner with County Executive Rushern Baker. I don’t know about you, but that’s quite a costly meal for 10 people (Nine Council members, one County Executive). Perhaps additional staff were also invited to dine with them and that explains the hefty total. However, even if more attended, does this really demonstrate the kind of government spending that Council should authorize for itself while County employees are still being furloughed, wages are frozen, and more service cuts are on the way?

As a taxpayer, this is your bank account that’s represented by their spending. These are your tax dollars funding a “bonding” session for Council at an extravagant resort outside the County. If a $3,000 dinner is a normal expense for our County Executive and County Council members, perhaps they should take out their own pocketbooks and write a check for it. It’s this kind of arrogance within our political establishment that has residents truly outraged.

What Mainstream Media Reports Didn’t Say This Week

Lots of news has been coming out of Prince George’s County this week, and I didn’t want you to overlook critical pieces of information that the media has been reporting over the last few days. I do not have time to provide extensive commentary on every issue that has emerged, because like many of you, I am a senior government professional who works full time, runs a household, parents two small children, and participates in a myriad of activities related to these responsibilities.

Here’s my quick take on what the mainstream media did not discuss about the headlines over the past week, and if you’d like more of my quips on a regular basis, follow me on Twitter:

1. Transition Team Submits Report to County Executive: Last Friday, the Transition Team submitted a 185-page report to the County Executive, with detailed recommendations for improving County government. While I have not read the entire report (but will do so with a comprehensive blog post to come soon), the transition team emphasized the importance of developing a more streamlined, open government. One tiny problem that conflicts with that message, as initially reported by Miranda Spivack’s blog in the Washington Post, is that former transition team leader Wayne Curry stepped down earlier this year to become President of the Michael Companies, one of the leading real estate firms in the county. I read this news in an earlier version of Ms. Spivack’s blog, but it’s no longer there. Maybe the information was inaccurate, or not yet ready for public announcement, but I found it odd that she removed it. Nevertheless, given that Curry encouraged Baker to make several key appointments from his former administration, it seems to present an immediate challenge to Baker’s ethics as Curry will now be representing a major developer’s interests within the county and directly to many of his appointed leaders who owe him. Stay tuned, and if you can, help me figure out why this has not been covered within the mainstream media yet.
2. Baker’s Appointed Leader to Housing Agency Has Troubled Past: One of the most important appointments Baker had to make was selecting a qualified, ethical leader who could lead the Housing and Community Development Agency out of the disgraceful shadows of its past. Chief among its dirty laundry were millions of dollars returned to HUD from unspent grant funds and a former director who is now implicated in Jack Johnson’s alleged bribery scandals. So, given these circumstances, one would think that he should conduct an extensive background check of any individual’s history before deciding on an appointment of a new leader. However, it’s clear from reports earlier this week that Eric C. Brown had a checkered past. Out of 860,000+ talented residents living in one of the wealthiest, most educated counties in the country, I’m shocked that we couldn’t find any homegrown talent with a clean work history and outstanding record of accomplishment to lead this agency. What’s worse, Baker’s own spokesman attempts to dismiss it by simply saying they had conducted an extensive search and he was the best candidate. Really? I’m sure it was no accident they moved the budget announcement up a day once they heard that the Post was reporting this poor decision by Baker.
3. Jack Johnson Arraigned: Johnson’s speech to reporters on Tuesday, following his arraignment, proves that he is in serious denial about the criminal activities he was engaged in. And yes, I’m not saying “alleged,” because his attorney’s intent to throw out evidence from federal wiretaps just proves to me that it presents facts that will surely lead to Johnson’s conviction. Regardless of what you think you’ve done for county residents, Mr. Johnson, you have no business believing it was okay to accept bribes in return for providing help to your buddies. What’s even worse, I think Billy Martin, Johnson’s attorney, may have had a “Freudian slip” regarding Michael Jackson’s possible ties, given he mentioned defending “Jackson” in the press video before quickly correcting himself by saying “Johnson.” Big “oops.”
4. Mug Shots of Jack and Leslie Johnson released: It’s at a time like this that I sure wish I had the services of Cal’s team from the popular Fox series  Lie to Me. Let’s just say Jack’s face speaks “defiance” and “anger,” while Leslie’s face says “shame” and “despair.” Enough said.
5. Jack Johnson’s Son Gets Job During Hiring Freeze: Anyone who is involved in politics knows that family and friends stand to benefit when one of their own gets elected. That’s nothing new. What’s really filthy about this story is the timing of Johnson’s son getting hired (the day before the September primaries); mixed messages from County staff about how Jr. managed to get hired during a freeze, and at $20,000 more than advertised; and most disconcerting, Baker’s unwillingness to do anything about it. For the second time this week, Baker addresses a human resources issue by stating that all procedures were followed and there’s nothing more he can do about it. My message to Baker is that if the buck stops with you as County Executive, you need to show some leadership. It’s perfectly legal to get rid of an employee for almost any reason during their probationary period, and it’s just fine to admit  your mistake with hiring Eric C. Brown and rescind the appointment. He was offered an “at-will” position so if he didn’t disclose his problematic past employment, then you need to cut ties and move forward.
6. Baker Announces New Economic Development Team, $50 Million Fund: The headlines are (1) Kwasi Holman out, three new team members in, and (2) $50 million economic development fund to lure new businesses to the county. I need to research the new team members before I can weigh in on their qualifications, but I will say the economic development fund seems like a good idea as long as the process for distributing funds is open and transparent. Otherwise it might just be another “slush” fund for developers to tap. What reporters already forgot to talk about is how it aligns with Baker’s Pledge for Prince George’s County. Just about one year ago, Baker promised that within the first 100 days of the new administration he would deliver a comprehensive job creation, competitive housing market, and economic growth plan. Hiring three people and setting aside money is not a plan. I will need to review budget documents to see if I can learn more specifics, but so far nobody in the media has discussed how Baker’s press release matches up with the promise for a plan.
7. Baker Announces FY 2012 Budget: Baker made the rounds to several media outlets to present his FY 2012 budget. He was aggressive in pitching his plan to television, radio, and print reporters who all stuck to his message that he is adding money for schools and public safety and making cuts to all other areas of the government. I generally agree with these principles, but the budget in brief does not provide enough details for me to dig into so that I can provide constructive feedback to his team and County Council. I suspect Baker was extra motivated to stay on message regarding the county and its great potential given the stream of negative reports coming out of Prince George’s County this week.

Let me know what you think, provide comments and feedback, and stay tuned for the big announcement of our first public forum on the PGCPS budget feedback, which will be held in Laurel one week from today!