Get to know the faces behind the ballots! Over the next few weeks, we’re bringing you an exclusive look at the Prince George’s County Council candidates. We asked each candidate eight essential questions about their vision and the local issues they are fighting for.
Meet Imara Crooms, a democracy expert and former public servant running for the District 9 seat on the Prince George’s County Council with a clear mission: to return power to the residents. As the only publicly financed candidate in the race, Crooms emphasizes his independence from corporate interests and developer-driven mandates, advocating instead for an “Infrastructure-First” approach to growth. In this Q&A, Crooms discusses how his platform is built on the belief that development should never outpace public facilities and that every taxpayer deserves reliable, equitable services—from road safety and transit equity to consistent trash pickup.
- What is your primary motivation for running for local council, and what are your top three priorities for the district?
My primary motivation is to return power to the people of District 9. As a democracy expert and former public servant, I’ve seen how top-down mandates, from DOGE to developer-driven zoning, hollow out communities. I’m running to fight for our residents, using my independence as the only publicly financed candidate to ensure our budget reflects our values.
My top three priorities are:
1. Ending ‘Dumping Ground’ Politics: I am the only candidate in this race who has consistently stood with the community against hyperscale data centers. Residents can trust that I will fight to ensure District 9 is never a dumping ground for unwanted projects.
2. Infrastructure-First Development: I will prioritize our existing communities over endless suburban sprawl, ensuring no development occurs without adequate public facilities to support it.
3. Equitable Public Services: You pay taxes. You deserve services. From reliable trash pickup to road repairs and snow plowing. I will be a representative who shows up and answers your calls.” - How do you plan to support local small businesses and entrepreneurs within Prince George’s County?
Our small businesses are the heartbeat of the community, too often they are often sidelined in favor of big business. To support our entrepreneurs, I will:
Demand Procurement Reform: Public money should be spent for public good, including quality work and a living wage. I will ensure county contracts from school supplies to road maintenance go to local businesses and union jobs. Our tax dollars should stay in our community.
End the Red Tape: I’ll collaborate with others on council to streamline the county’s procurement process and waive burdensome fees for micro-businesses. As your Councilmember, my ‘Infrastructure-First’ policy isn’t just about roads, it’s about the digital and financial infrastructure our small businesses need to compete and thrive. - How will you ensure that the voices of all residents, especially those in underrepresented areas, are heard in the decision-making process?
Decision-making shouldn’t just happen in Largo, it must happen in our living rooms and community centers. I am committed to governing with our community rather than lording over the people.
Participatory Budgeting: Participatory budgeting programs work. In District 9 we can use them to give residents a direct vote on how a portion of our local capital funds are spent.
Hyper-Local Office Hours: I intend to engage with our community where it lives. District 9 is massive and diverse, I will meet the community monthly in the places most convenient to the people, ensuring distance is never a barrier to being heard. - What specific improvements do you advocate for regarding local infrastructure, public safety, or transit?
In District 9, we are often the last to see our tax dollars returned in services. My ‘Infrastructure-First’ plan focuses on:
Transit Equity: I will fight for the Southern Maryland Rapid Transit (SMRT) project to move past the 2026 NEPA analysis phase and into active design. We need high-capacity transit connecting places like Brandywine and Clinton to the Metro, not more traffic on MD-
Road Safety: I will work to complete local efforts like the MD-223/Floral Park Road roundabout and similar ‘Vision Zero’ improvements to fix the dangerous intersections that plague our overtaxed roads. - What steps should the council take to promote environmental sustainability and green spaces in our community?
In District 9, sustainability means treating our environment as essential infrastructure. I will stop approving new developments that worsen runoff and flooding for existing neighborhoods without sufficient infrastructure. I view our forests, wetlands, and the Rural Tier as vital defenses against stormwater and heat, not just vacant land for sale to the highest bidder.
I will advocate for Stormwater Utility Reform to ensure funds are used equitably, prioritizing culvert clearing and pipe repairs in historically overlooked South County neighborhoods. I proudly support the County’s Climate Action Plan, we must ensure green infrastructure investments reach areas of inequity first. By protecting our natural resources and fixing our aging drainage systems, we can build a resilient community where every resident is safe from the next storm. Sustainability isn’t just about ‘green space’; it’s about the safety and respect every taxpayer deserves. - How can the council better support local youth programs and educational initiatives outside of the school system?
Young people deserve a county that invests all year, not just during school hours. To better support our young people, I will:
Expand the Summer Youth Enrichment Program (SYEP): The SYEP program is cherished in our community, I will advocate for increasing the 2027 budget to ensure District 9 teens have access to jobs, specifically targeting ‘Green Jobs’ in our Rural Tier.
Support Out-of-School Hubs: I will fight to restore and expand funding for M-NCPPC Teen Centers and summer camps in Clinton and Accokeek, ensuring our youth have safe, high-quality spaces for recreation and learning.
Strengthen Trade Pipelines: Outside the K-12 system, I will partner with Employ Prince George’s and local unions to fund ‘Pre-Apprenticeship’ centers. We must ensure young people are presented a diversity of options right here in our community - What is one specific project or policy you hope to be remembered for at the end of your term?
I hope my legacy is the permanent transformation of our local democracy. I want to be remembered as the Councilmember who proved that you don’t need a corporate war chest to serve District 9.
By running as a publicly financed candidate in this inaugural 2026 cycle, I am working to make small-dollar matching the ‘Gold Standard’ for our future. My goal is for every resident (regardless of their zip code or net worth) to see a path to leadership that isn’t blocked by wealthy special interests.
When the Fair Election Fund becomes the default for all future candidates, it will mean our Council is finally, structurally beholden to the people, not the highest bidder. If my term ensures that our democracy is truly ‘by the people’ for generations to come, that will be the greatest service I can offer Prince George’s County. - What is your favorite local spot in Prince George’s County to relax or grab a meal?
For family fun and relaxation not much beats the Wizard of Oz playground at Watkins Park, my two-year-old daughter and five-year-old niece absolutely love it. For something a bit more adult focused our local wineries are excellent and family-friendly, especially as the weather warms up they’re something everyone should visit.
