Where’s the Asphalt, Mayor Miller?
Freeport’s 5-Year Street Plan Falters Out of the Gate as Taxpayers Wait for Results
May 13, 2025
It’s mid-May in Freeport, Illinois—and while the weather signals the height of construction season, the streets remain silent. No cones. No crews. No progress. After a year of bold promises and a tax hike that hit every resident’s wallet, residents are left asking a simple question: Where is the work?
The Vote That Raised Taxes
Last year, Mayor Jodi Miller cast the deciding vote to raise Freeport’s local sales tax, joined by Alderpeople Parker, Shadle, Klemm, and Sellers. Some defended the decision by citing more than a decade of neglect and “financial irresponsibility” that left the city’s infrastructure in decay.
She promised that new revenue would finally give the city the means to act. Residents—though burdened—expected results. Now, they're still waiting.
The 2025 Commitment
The Miller administration rolled out a 5-Year Street Program, with six projects scheduled for completion in 2025. The targeted streets—Carroll Avenue, Cleveland Street, Hance Drive, Greenfield Drive, Stephenson Street, and Blackhawk Avenue—represent more than $4 million in planned investment.
City officials emphasized these weren’t just long-term aspirations. These were the first-year deliverables.
But so far? No construction, no public updates, and no visible effort to “work the plan,” as Mayor Miller urged during her reelection campaign.
A Familiar Slogan Meets Harsh Reality
On the campaign trail, Miller often said, “You have to make your plan and then work your plan.” She also insisted that “Roads aren’t Red or Blue,” echoing a nonpartisan approach to basic city services.
Today, many residents are left wondering: What color do the roads need to be to get fixed?
It’s a fair question in a city where citizens pay more at the register but still swerve to avoid potholes. The lack of transparency only fuels frustration. To date, the City of Freeport has not released a detailed construction schedule or any explanation for the delays—despite the tax increase going into effect months ago.
What Comes Next?
In fairness, factors like contractor bids, weather, or material supply could impact timelines. But without communication and even cancelling the upcoming Committee of the Whole meeting, the administration is leaving space for doubt and distrust to grow.
One longtime Freeport resident put it plainly: “We held up our end—higher taxes, more patience. Now it’s time for the city to hold up theirs.”
If Freeport is to believe in the promises of a long-term street program, it must first see signs of short-term progress. Otherwise, the legacy of this administration won’t be infrastructure—it will be more inaction.
