Advertisement. Advertise with us

LETTER from JOSHUA BAILEY

Oneonta Democrats Seek

To Dampen Competition

To the Editor:

For years, the City of Oneonta has struggled to find passionate candidates in its local elections. Oftentimes, those in power have pushed individuals to run strictly to fill a seat, as evident by a handful stepping down after only one term. While I thank our entire Common Council for its service, Oneonta needs enthusiastic candidates who are committed to our future.

2019 is that year. In multiple Common Council races, we were lucky enough to have had at least two, and in some three, candidates file petitions for office including in the Eighth Ward, which I am running to represent.

Personally, I was excited for a three-way race. It would have forced discussion and debate, the fundamentals of a functional democracy.

Unfortunately, the Oneonta “Democratic” party leaders and my opponent are not so democratic after all, forcing two independent candidates, Eric and Nate Roberts, off the ballot and trying to kick an independent county board candidate, Wilson Wells, off as well – a power move limiting the debate that Oneonta residents so desperately deserve.

Why would they do this? I only see one reason: They are scared of the very democratic principles they claim to uphold because, for the first time in recent memory, the elite few controlling our city are in jeopardy of losing their stronghold.

Local politics should not be partisan politics. We should not be scared of discussion on new ideas, rather embrace them.

JOSHUA BAILEY

Common Council candidate,

Oneonta’s Ward 8

Posted

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Related Articles

SCOLINOS: It’s All We Need To Know: Home Plate 17 Inches Wide

COLUMN VIEW FROM THE GAME It’s All We Need To Know: Home Plate 17 Inches Wide Editor’s Note:  Tim Mead, incoming Baseball Hall of Fame president, cited John Scolinos, baseball coach at his alma mater, Cal Poly Pomona, as a lifelong inspiration, particularly Scolinos’ famous speech “17 Inches.” Chris Sperry, who published sperrybaseballlife.com, heard Scolinos deliver a version in 1996 at the American Baseball Coaches Association in Nashville, and wrote this reminiscence in 1916 in his “Baseball Thoughts” column. By CHRIS SPERRY • from www.sperrybaseballlife.com In 1996, Coach Scolinos was 78 years old and five years retired from a college coaching…

Sports Can Resume, Superintendents Told

CLICK HERE FOR MEMO TO SCHOOLS Sports Can Resume, Superintendents Told COOPERSTOWN – In a memo released Friday evening, county Public Health Director Heidi Bond advised local school superintendents that sports can resume as early as Monday. “Effective Feb. 1, participants in higher-risk sports may participate in individual or distanced group training and organized no/low-contact group training,” Bond wrote, “…including competitions and tournaments, if permitted by local health authorities.”…

Piper Seamon Scores 1,000th point

1,000 THANKS! Piper Seamon 5th CCS Girl To Hit High Mark The Cooperstown Central student section erupts as Piper Seamon scores her 1,000th career point in the Hawkeyes’ 57-39 win over Waterville at home last evening. Seamon becomes the fifth girl and only the 14th player in school history overall to score 1,000 points.  Inset at right, Pipershares a hug with teammate Meagan Schuermann after the game was stopped to acknowledge her achievement. Seamon will play basketball next year at Hamilton College. (Cheryl Clough/AllOTSEGO.com)  …

Putting the Community Back Into the Newspaper

Now through March 30, new annual subscribers to “The Freeman’s Journal” and AllOtsego.com (or subscribers who have lapsed for two or more years) have an opportunity to help their choice of one of four Otsego County charitable organizations.

$5.00 of your subscription will be donated to the nonprofit of your choice:

Cooperstown Farmers’ Market, Cooperstown Food Pantry, Greater Oneonta Historical Society or Super Heroes Humane Society.