
Frustrated Binghamton City Councilmember Calls It Quits
A member of Binghamton City Council has resigned after becoming exasperated with the way things were going after one year.
Olamni Porter was elected in November 2023 as the Democratic candidate to represent the city's First District. He submitted his letter of resignation last Thursday.
Porter told WNBF News he ran for the council seat with the hope that he could make a difference even though he was "not a politician."
During his brief stint on council, Porter came to the conclusion that the system "is broken" and "nobody wants to fix it." He was dismayed because he witnessed "a lot of infighting" among elected officials.
Porter, who moved to Binghamton from Virginia more than two decades ago, said he had "never seen anything like it." He said he did not "want to be caught up in the politics" that seemed to surround every issue facing the city.
Porter said not enough was being done by the city to help the homeless or to assist those who've been dealing with other housing issues. He also expressed disappointment with the lack of sufficient mental health resources for city residents.
Now, it's up to the Binghamton city Democratic committee to make recommendations for a replacement for Porter. Committee chair Teri Rennia said there've been discussions with several potential candidates. She expects a recommendation will be made to city council soon.
Council is expected to appoint someone to fill the First District seat next month. All six of the remaining councilmembers are Democrats.

Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: Email bob@wnbf.com or call (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.
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