Mayor Miller Hasn't Earned Four More Years

It's been a while since we have heard from the freedom fighter and former mayoral candidate Jason Corrigan.

Corrigan ran for city mayor in 2009 against Erik Miller and Richard Miller. At 21-years-old, he was responsible for a number of significant events that would forever change the city including exposing the Oneonta Police Department for coercing underage, intoxicated girls into sex and highlighting Miller's back-door downtown development contract that was awarded by Miller's campaign manager and former mayor John Nader.

A letter to the editor was printed in today's Daily Star where Corrigan discusses Miller's accomplishments, or lack thereof.

Here are his thoughts:

It’s been almost four years since the city of Oneonta voted for a new mayor.

The fact that this particular mayor runs uncontested seems to illustrate a scenario of apathetic citizens, rather than the idea that Miller has accomplished so much success that he deserves to automatically remain in office for another four years.

If you remember Miller as a candidate, he promised a clear and transparent city hall and that he would immediately launch an investigation into the police department to uncover any form of corrupt behavior.

As we all know, this only happened after more incidents took place. The city was also slapped with a million-dollar lawsuit.

Since then, Miller has: seen glass go into the city’s plowing machines; been unable to find an adequate replacement for the minor league baseball team; unsuccessfully lobbied on multiple occasions to merge the city with the town of Oneonta; and spent more than $10,000 on a “Life Enjoyed” marketing plan that no one liked and has yet to draw a profit.

More recently, Miller has led the community into a budget that carries an enormous deficit. Does anyone have a better job since Miller came into office? Are there more jobs today than when he started? What happened to the women’s boutique and the gift shop he championed?

Main Street doesn’t seem to have more businesses today than it did in 2009.

These facts have nothing to do with any kind of sour fruit; they just beg the question of, “Why doesn’t anyone love their community enough to fight for a better tomorrow?"

“Why are we just handing our city over to someone who has obviously failed?” 

- Jason Corrigan