Hyattsville mayor submits bill testimony without council resolution

In February 2024, Mayor Robert Croslin sent a letter to members of the Senate committee considering SB 747 asking for amendments that would lessen the impact on local governments as delinquent as Hyattsville is on its audits, but no authorizing resolution for communications to the Maryland General Assembly on this or any other bills appear in council minutes from December 2023 through February 2024. SB 747, and its cross-filed bill HB 165, would withhold 20% of certain state funds from localities that are more than two years late on their audits, beginning with the fiscal year 2024 audit. This reporter has contacted elected officials in favor of such measures. 

In an emailed response to questions, City Clerk Laura Reams wrote, “Hyattsville’s mayors have previously submitted testimony without prior Council approval when the testimony is consistent with the City’s established position on the subject. In this instance the City’s position in the letter was aligned with the positions of the Maryland Municipal League and the Prince George’s County Municipal Association, organizations of which the city is an active member.” Reams also wrote that the city council was informed of the letter before its submission. Croslin did not return a request for comment.

City council routinely passes resolutions in public meetings authorizing the mayor to communicate with other public bodies, such as the general assembly or district council, regarding the city’s position on matters before that body. For example, on March 20, 2023, city council voted unanimously to authorize the mayor to send correspondence on two separate senate bills, SB 11 and SB 813. For SB 11, Hyattsville and Maryland Municipal League both opposed the bill. For SB 813, Maryland Municipal League did not appear on the testimony list.

The city council adopted rules of procedure in 2015 that state “no person or committee has authority to represent the Council on policy matters, unless the Council via an affirmative majority vote has explicitly granted such authority.” The section contains an exception for “statements that are factual in nature and accurately reflect the Council’s publicly adopted position” and affirms that members may still make “statement[s] of personal opinion,” with certain conditions.¹ 

Croslin’s letter also included the Hyattsville logo. Hyattsville’s code says that the city seal or logo may be used “on written or printed material in support of or in opposition to any state or federal legislation or statewide referendum, initiative or other ballot measure, when specifically authorized by a majority of the members of the City Council.”

According to SB 747’s fiscal and policy note, prepared by state legislative staff, Hyattsville is expected to receive $767,685 of relevant state funds in FY 2025, and 20% of those funds would be $153,537, approximately 0.6% of Hyattsville’s proposed budgeted revenues for FY 2025.

As previously reported by Route One Finance, the city is currently late on its FY 2022 and FY 2023 audits and withdrew links to its original FY 2021 audited financial statements from the city website after acknowledging errors. The FY 2021 audited statements were due to the state on October 31, 2021.

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