Yet another corruption scandal in Prince George’s County has garnered headlines in recent days. Less than a year after former county executive Jack Johnson and his wife, county Councilwoman Leslie Johnson, were arrested and charged with evidence tampering and destroying evidence in connection with a widespread federal corruption investigation in the county, another elected county official has come under fire.
Developers and business owners have alleged that former county Councilman Tom Dernoga used his political office to force donations for community improvement projects. Dernoga, who unsuccessfully ran for Prince George’s County state’s attorney instead of returning to the council, has said he was able to elicit about $1 million in donations during his eight years as a county councilman for the local community.
In College Park, local developers and business owners have claimed that in seeking county support for their projects, they were privately solicited by Dernoga to make donations to community organizations in his name. If they refused, they said, their projects were plagued with delays or were left incomplete. Dernoga refutes these allegations, and which side is telling the truth has yet to be proven. As of now, there appears to be no formal investigation into Dernoga’s practices, but as more come forward, including several business owners in this city, that may soon change.
Indeed, these complaints and allegations have elicited action from lawmakers in Annapolis. Bills that were passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. Martin O’Malley earlier this month effectively ban county council members from voting on projects involving those from whom they have accepted direct donations or donations in their name. It appears this legislation targets this county directly.
Prince George’s County is unique in that it is the only county in the state where elected council members approve zoning projects. Other counties do not leave these decisions up to elected officials, but rather delegate that responsibility to a separate and independent board, largely in order to avoid the same conflicts of interest that appear to be playing out in our own backyard.
It seems Dernoga’s intentions were always good. He was well-known in the community for supporting local interests and raising money for schools in his district that was dubbed “Dernoga money” by some community leaders. However good his intentions, if allegations of possible political shakedowns and intimidation turn out to be true, his well-intended acts will be all for naught.
Businesses should be giving back to their community. After all, a prosperous community with good schools and infrastructure is ultimately good for business. However, the impetus to give back should not involve rewarding those who do with political favors and punishing those who do not with holdups.
The legislation O’Malley signed seems poised to bring such practices to a halt. But to truly combat the unethical practice of soliciting donations from developers in return for project approvals, council members and zoning decisions must be kept separate. For a county that is continually plagued with shady dealings and a seemingly perpetual reputation for corruption, checks and balances must be implemented.
This city as well as this county are in dire need of development. The county has mostly average incomes, and the news that local government garners does little to entice business owners to flock to cities like College Park. The legislation passed by the state earlier this month is a big step toward preventing unethical indiscretion. But with every allegation of unethical practices, and with every subsequent unflattering headline, the county’s reputation suffers. And for this county to move toward a more prosperous existence, its image must first be restored.
