Pat McDaniel for City Council 2023
Pat McDaniel is a candidate for City Council in the 2023 Decatur Election and will be on the ballot in Decatur, Illinois.
Campaign Platform
Written by Reed Sutman on Mar 23, 2023
Pat McDaniels wants to "fully fund public safety," including police and fire, support neighborhood revitalization, maintain & improve infrastructure, and work with developers to build apartments. He says he's advocated in the past for late night bus service for third shift workers. He wants to do neighborhood walks & talk to residents if elected, and continue attending government and community meetings.
McDaniels says he will never approve cannabis dispensaries. In Late November/December 2020, Pat McDaniel, in his role as Liqour Commissioner, "took action against four local businesses for disregarding COVID-19 restrictions that prohibit indoor dining." He has voted against cannabis dispensaries in the past and voted against allowing gambling machines in bars & restaurants.
Pat served on City Council from 2011-2021, then says he took a sabbatical due to medical problems, and to care for his mother who was dying. He served in the U.S. Army for 3 years & returned to Decatur after serving in Vietnam. He managed several grocery stores, worked as a reporter for the Decatur Tribune, served as the Director of the Macon County History Museum promoting Lincoln & Decatur Heritage, and was Chairman of the Drug Free Coalition for 5 years.
Pat McDaniels "was also encouraged to run this time around [in 2023] by Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe who helped in his petition drive. Moore Wolfe would increase her strength on the council if McDaniel was appointed and later won election to the seat," writes Paul Osborne, Decatur Tribune Editor. McDaniels is endorsed by the Central Illinois PAC
Please use the feedback box at the bottom to suggest corrections or additions.
Policy Positions
- Cannabis Dispensaries: No. He says he will never approve it.
- Police: Pat wants to "Fully fund public safety", which he said includes the fire department. He says Decatur Police are doing a great job with their resources.
Goals
- continue supporting Neighborhood Revitalization
- Financing, Maintenance & improvement of infrastructure
- "Fully fund public safety", including police and fire department
- Neighborhood Revitalization
- Work with developers to build apartments
- He says he advocated for five years for late night bus service for third shift workers.
- Do neighborhood walks, talk to residents
- Continue attending community & government meetings to see what's going on
Current Roles / Jobs
- He is the City of Decatur's Liquor Commissioner.
Past Government Actions
- In November/December 2020, Pat McDaniel "took action against four local businesses for disregarding COVID-19 restrictions that prohibit indoor dining," according to Paul Osborne, in his role as Liqour Commissioner.
- Voted against cannabis dispensaries
- Voted against allowing gambling machines in bars/restaurants
History
- Served on City Council from 2011-2021. He says he needed a sabattical because he had medical problems & his mother was dying & he was the only caregiver
- Born in & grew up in Decatur
- Lived in rental housing & apartments in 9 different inner city neighborhoods by junior high
- Served in U.S. Army for 3 years
- Returned to Decatur after serving in Vietnam
- Bagged groceries in high school and went on to manage many of the company's stores in Central Illinois
- Was a reporter for Decatur Tribune, covering city council & other community events
- He spent the last 8 years of his professional carreer as Director of a local not-for-profit where he promoted our local Lincoln & Decatur heritage.
- Chairman of the Drug Free Coaliation for 5 years
- Was executive Director of Macon County History Museum when he retired in 2013
- From his time on Council, he's most proud of neighborhood revitalization efforts and funding police and fire departments.
Other Noteable reporting
-
Paul Osborne writes "He was also encouraged to run this time around [in 2023] by Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe who helped in his petition drive. Moore Wolfe would increase her strength on the council if McDaniel was appointed and later won election to the seat."
-
His time: McDaniel ending successful run as history museum director - Herald & Review article detailing his history, back in 2013, in a rather positive light.
Endorsed By
Statements / Quotes
If there are "quotes", it is a direct quote of McDaniel, otherwise it is paraphrased.
- He said neighborhoods are the most important building blocks of our community
- He says infrastructure is important for businesses
- He said neighborhoods need to be "sparkling" when potential new residents or employers drive through town.
- He says private organizations and people also need to step forward and help with revitalization.
- He hopes the new school board will improve DPS schools so that young parents want to stay in Decatur
- He doesn't know how to keep young professionals from going to big cities instead of settling in smaller cities like Decatur
- Says property taxes drive a lot of people out of Illinois, and says the city raised their taxes by 2.5% and Richland by 8%.
- He says finding people who "actually want to work" is also a problem
- Answering How will you combat gun violence? - He says it is a problem all over the country, that we have two gangs in Decatur, and that the Decatur Police are doing a good job with their resources. He says as some Decatur gang members are "eliminated", more come from Chicago. He wishes he had the answer, and says education is important & that the city has been very good working with the School District and other agencies in town.
- Based on his time in the Drug Free Coalition: "for every dollar of tax money [Colorado] brought in, they spent another $10 million dealing with the medical problems, especially with the young people."
- He says he reads in the Decatur Tribune every week the number of people pulled over for DUI, which includes for drugs, and that it is "really bad".
- He suggests, if you want a cheap high, to stand on the boulevard and get high off the fumes from the traffic.
- He says bad guys and bad gals move into cities with dispensaries because they can undercut the legal prices.
- He says we have a great bus service, but that it can always be improved & that federal funds help.
- "I love Decatur and I want to see it prosper"
- With 10 years on the council, he says he has a lot of experience with the financing & what's going on
- Was involved with neighborhood organizations, which is "dear to my heart"
- "It's just not twice a month meetings. You've gotta get out there to see what's going on, listen to the people."
Sources
Read Full Platform
Read Less
Pat McDaniels wants to "fully fund public safety," including police and fire, support neighborhood revitalization, maintain & improve infrastructure, and work with developers to build apartments. He says he's advocated in the past for late night bus service for third shift workers. He wants to do neighborhood walks & talk to residents if elected, and continue attending government and community meetings.
McDaniels says he will never approve cannabis dispensaries. In Late November/December 2020, Pat McDaniel, in his role as Liqour Commissioner, "took action against four local businesses for disregarding COVID-19 restrictions that prohibit indoor dining." He has voted against cannabis dispensaries in the past and voted against allowing gambling machines in bars & restaurants.
Pat served on City Council from 2011-2021, then says he took a sabbatical due to medical problems, and to care for his mother who was dying. He served in the U.S. Army for 3 years & returned to Decatur after serving in Vietnam. He managed several grocery stores, worked as a reporter for the Decatur Tribune, served as the Director of the Macon County History Museum promoting Lincoln & Decatur Heritage, and was Chairman of the Drug Free Coalition for 5 years.
Pat McDaniels "was also encouraged to run this time around [in 2023] by Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe who helped in his petition drive. Moore Wolfe would increase her strength on the council if McDaniel was appointed and later won election to the seat," writes Paul Osborne, Decatur Tribune Editor. McDaniels is endorsed by the Central Illinois PAC
Please use the feedback box at the bottom to suggest corrections or additions.
Policy Positions
- Cannabis Dispensaries: No. He says he will never approve it.
- Police: Pat wants to "Fully fund public safety", which he said includes the fire department. He says Decatur Police are doing a great job with their resources.
Goals
- continue supporting Neighborhood Revitalization
- Financing, Maintenance & improvement of infrastructure
- "Fully fund public safety", including police and fire department
- Neighborhood Revitalization
- Work with developers to build apartments
- He says he advocated for five years for late night bus service for third shift workers.
- Do neighborhood walks, talk to residents
- Continue attending community & government meetings to see what's going on
Current Roles / Jobs
- He is the City of Decatur's Liquor Commissioner.
Past Government Actions
- In November/December 2020, Pat McDaniel "took action against four local businesses for disregarding COVID-19 restrictions that prohibit indoor dining," according to Paul Osborne, in his role as Liqour Commissioner.
- Voted against cannabis dispensaries
- Voted against allowing gambling machines in bars/restaurants
History
- Served on City Council from 2011-2021. He says he needed a sabattical because he had medical problems & his mother was dying & he was the only caregiver
- Born in & grew up in Decatur
- Lived in rental housing & apartments in 9 different inner city neighborhoods by junior high
- Served in U.S. Army for 3 years
- Returned to Decatur after serving in Vietnam
- Bagged groceries in high school and went on to manage many of the company's stores in Central Illinois
- Was a reporter for Decatur Tribune, covering city council & other community events
- He spent the last 8 years of his professional carreer as Director of a local not-for-profit where he promoted our local Lincoln & Decatur heritage.
- Chairman of the Drug Free Coaliation for 5 years
- Was executive Director of Macon County History Museum when he retired in 2013
- From his time on Council, he's most proud of neighborhood revitalization efforts and funding police and fire departments.
Other Noteable reporting
- Paul Osborne writes "He was also encouraged to run this time around [in 2023] by Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe who helped in his petition drive. Moore Wolfe would increase her strength on the council if McDaniel was appointed and later won election to the seat."
- His time: McDaniel ending successful run as history museum director - Herald & Review article detailing his history, back in 2013, in a rather positive light.
Endorsed By
Statements / Quotes
If there are "quotes", it is a direct quote of McDaniel, otherwise it is paraphrased.
- He said neighborhoods are the most important building blocks of our community
- He says infrastructure is important for businesses
- He said neighborhoods need to be "sparkling" when potential new residents or employers drive through town.
- He says private organizations and people also need to step forward and help with revitalization.
- He hopes the new school board will improve DPS schools so that young parents want to stay in Decatur
- He doesn't know how to keep young professionals from going to big cities instead of settling in smaller cities like Decatur
- Says property taxes drive a lot of people out of Illinois, and says the city raised their taxes by 2.5% and Richland by 8%.
- He says finding people who "actually want to work" is also a problem
- Answering How will you combat gun violence? - He says it is a problem all over the country, that we have two gangs in Decatur, and that the Decatur Police are doing a good job with their resources. He says as some Decatur gang members are "eliminated", more come from Chicago. He wishes he had the answer, and says education is important & that the city has been very good working with the School District and other agencies in town.
- Based on his time in the Drug Free Coalition: "for every dollar of tax money [Colorado] brought in, they spent another $10 million dealing with the medical problems, especially with the young people."
- He says he reads in the Decatur Tribune every week the number of people pulled over for DUI, which includes for drugs, and that it is "really bad".
- He suggests, if you want a cheap high, to stand on the boulevard and get high off the fumes from the traffic.
- He says bad guys and bad gals move into cities with dispensaries because they can undercut the legal prices.
- He says we have a great bus service, but that it can always be improved & that federal funds help.
- "I love Decatur and I want to see it prosper"
- With 10 years on the council, he says he has a lot of experience with the financing & what's going on
- Was involved with neighborhood organizations, which is "dear to my heart"
- "It's just not twice a month meetings. You've gotta get out there to see what's going on, listen to the people."
Sources
Highlights
For more, see Pat McDaniel's topic page
WAND Interview | 5 minutes
Read a short recap of Pat's WAND interview or watch the video yourself.
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Q/A with Pat McDaniel
collapse allWhat are your top three priorities?others' answers
Pat McDaniel
Summary: His top three priorities are financing, maintenance & improvement of infrastructure; "fully fund public safety", including police and fire department; and neighborhood revitalization.
How do we attract and retain residents?others' answers
Pat McDaniel
Summary: Pat McDaniels talks about the struggles with keeping young professionals who often want to live in big cities, young families who don't want to put their kids in Decatur Public Schools, and property tax increases that he says are driving a lot of people out of Illinois. He says we need to develop apartments as well, for young people who don't want to own a home.
How will you address Gun Violence?others' answers
Pat McDaniel
Summary: Pat McDnaiels said this is a problem all over the country and that Decatur Police are doing a good job dealing with the two gangs in Decatur. He wishes he had the answer & says education is important.
How would you improve public transit in Decatur?others' answers
Pat McDaniel
Summary: Pat McDaniel says we have a great bus service, especially with adding Sunday routes, and that he has advocated for late-night bus service for third shift workers. He says federal funds can help expand the city's transportation services.
Opening Statementsothers' answers
Pat McDaniel
Summary: He was born in & grew up in Decatur, living in rental housing & apartments in 9 different inner city neighborhoods, by the time he was in junior high. He served in the U.S. Army for 3 years & served in Vietnam, then returned to Decatur. He started his career as a grocery bagger in high schools, and later became a manager over many of the company...
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