A former Sumter County commissioner who spent time in jail before prevailing in an epic legal battle has qualified for a spot on the ballot in The Villages.
Oren Miller of the Village of Sanibel has qualified to run for the Community Development District 9 Board of Supervisors. He is running for Seat 5, which is currently vacant.
Miller won an uphill race in 2020 and was elected to the Sumter County Commission at a time residents were furious about a steep increase in property taxes. Miller was later suspended from his seat by Gov. Ron DeSantis after an allegation of perjury. Miller was found guilty of the charge, went to jail for 75 days and then fought back to eventually clear his name and demand his former seat back. Miller was returned to his seat, but then defeated by Villager Don Wiley, who currently serves as the commission chairman.
“My background reflects a strong commitment to leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and public service. I take pride in helping communities become safer, more efficient, and better connected, and I bring that same dedication and work ethic to every opportunity,” Miller said in his election filing.
CDD 9 includes the Haciendas of Mission Hills and the villages of Charlotte, Collier at Atwood, Fernandina, Gilchrist, Pinellas and Sanibel. Thus far, Miller is running unopposed for the open seat in CDD 9.