Karl Coleman for City Council 2023
Karl Coleman is a candidate for City Council in the 2023 Municipal Election and will be on the ballot in Decatur, Illinois.
Campaign Platform
Written by Reed Sutman on Jan 31, 2023
Karl Coleman wants more police in our communities who look like the people they're policing, and wants to quell gun violence and address poverty by promoting good schools, good jobs, and mental health services. He wants to expand youth engagement programs, raise community-based violence prevention funds, embrace large scale manufacturers, and incentivize small business.
Coleman supports cannabis dispensaries and would like to invest cannabis tax into blighted communities. He wants to encourage more young people to return to Decatur after college. He wants to encourage more community involvement, both politically and non-politically. He opposes the $25 fine for being in downtown parks from midnight to 6am. He wants to promote walkability & biking by making sidewalks wider & safer, though sees difficulties in establishing bike lanes. He supports electric buses.
Karl is the chair of the Macon County Democrats, serves on the Macon County Board and the Decatur Public Library Board. He has a degree in Political Science and African American Studies from U of I Springfield. He is the secretary of the Southside Improvement Association, works for Senator Dorris Turner's Office in Decatur, and has worked for Andy Manar in the past. He is the son of a former Decatur police officer, and his stepdad recently died due to gun violence. He is part of the recently formed Decatur Leadership Coalition, looking for ways to fund new programs and address gun violence.
Please use the feedback box at the bottom to suggest corrections or additions.
Policy Positions
- Public Safety: Supports police & advocates for alternate approaches. Supports "community policing", such as getting the Sheriff's department out of their cars and spending time amongst community members to engage with folks.
- Cannabis Dispensaries: Supports cannabis dispensaries in Decatur
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Downtown Park Closure, Fines: Opposes the $25 fine for anyone in Downtown Decatur Parks from midnight to 6am, which was adopted by City Council in December 2022 & was strongly opposed by many citizens and leadership in the Continuum of Care. He says there are some services like shelters and food pantries, but those don't necessarily get people a job. He says this ordinance is "just not the remedy to getting that problem solved." Coleman also thinks that Central Park should be available to "all citizens at all times" and talks about how the restriction could affect him if he's out at a late dinner and wants to stroll through Central Park.
-
County Redistricting: Karl opposed the Republican-drawn County District maps that redrew voting districts and reduced the County Board from 21 members to 15. Karl said the new maps violate the 1965 Voting Rights Act by diluting the black vote. This was a highly partisan issue, and the new maps likely gave Republicans an advantage in the 2022 Macon County elections.
- Previously advocated for an aldermanic form of City Government
Goals
- Incentivize new businesses to come to Decatur
- "bring more people into the fold," as far as political activity and non-political community work, noting low turnout in municipal elections.
- "[make] sure the city is where we need to be financially," by bringing in additional funding through cannabis dispensaries, new business incentives, and "a lot of different avenues" that we "don't put [enough] emphasis and energy behind."
- Use cannabis tax revenue to invest in blighted communities and dilapidated buildings and houses.
- Encourage Decaturites to stay in or return to Decatur after graduating college.
Statements / Quotes
- he wants to hear from people in the community to figure out "what we can do together to make the city a better place."
- “African Americans are always a core key constituency within the Democratic vote share. So actually having someone in the leadership reflecting that, but also the ideals and the concerns within the community, I think, is another huge aspect there.”
- "I don't really have a certain set conscription on what office or what I would be doing in that area. It's about effecting as much change as possible, and where that is to be done is where you'll see me."
- From his 2022 County Board campaign: Karl believes we need a hollistic approach and that crime is often (but not always) a "poverty based behavior". He believes improving job opportunities will decrease crimes because people will use legal means of supporting themselves if they are available.
Current Roles / Jobs
- Macon County Democrats Chairman
- County Board Member
- Decatur Library Board Trustee
- Works for Senator Dorris Turner's Deatur office
- Secretary of Southside Improvement Association
History
- Elected to County Board in 2020
- Appointed to Library Board in 2020
- Re-Elected to County Board in 2022
- Graduated from the University of Illinois Springfield with a degree in political science and African American studies in 2021
Previous Jobs, Roles, and political activities
- Worked for Sue Scherer's 2016 Re-election campaign
- Worked for Shavon Francis's unsuccessful 2018 Democratic State Treasurer campaign
- Ran Senator Andy Manar's Decatur Office
- Helped run one of Marty Watkins's campaigns for Decatur City Council
- Participated in protests after George Floyd's murder
- Has volunteered with many organizations, including NAACP and the Good Samaritan Inn
Endorsed By
There may be other endorsements not yet listed here.
Additional Information
- son of a former Decatur Police Officer
- His stepdad died due to gun violence during the past couple years
Information from his 2022 County Board Campaign
See his 2022 Candidate Profile, from which all this information is pulled.
- Top 3 priorities: Revitalize the Macon County Business Economy, pass environmentally friendly policies, improve county processes.
- Wants to represent young, black, and minority voters
- Wants to ban no-knock warrants
- Wants to legalize cannabis dispensaries
- His interest is in "forward thinking" industries, such as building solar panels, constructing electric vehicles, and industries working to transition away from non-renewable energy sources.
- Quote: "Macon County [should] be the heart and the home of the Green Renewable Revolution going forward."
- He says we have the most fertile farming soil in the nation and need to protect it.
- He says we need a hollistic approach to mitigating pollution.
- He wants to revive the effort to build a county-operated recycling and composting facility, which was largely supported by Democrats, largely opposed by Republicans, involved funding from Howard Buffett, and would have included a property tax levy. It would have handled large items and hazardous items that are hard to dispose of.
- He is concerned about abortion rights being taken away
- "I just don't feel as if the decisions at the county level are being made to the benefit of all citizens" and that decisions are being made to serve "a select few."
- News Sources:
- Spends a lot of time watching BBC
- Uses a lot of internet based sites whether they are major publications or not
- Was an avid consumer of the Black News Channel before it was taken off the air in the past couple of months
- Occasionally watches MSNBC
- Reads a good deal of articles from numerous sources, which he gets from the Apple News App
- Local journalism
- From the political right, he says he looks at The Hill and sometimes Fox News to see how things are being reported.
Sources
-
New Macon County Democrats chair 'ready to actively engage' voters: Much of Coleman's history comes from this article.
-
State of Democracy, 2022 Macon County
-
Downtown Park Closure, Fines
-
County Redistricting
-
MLK Day Interview
-
2022 Election Results
-
Karl's 2022 County Board Campaign
Read Full Platform
Read Less
Karl Coleman wants more police in our communities who look like the people they're policing, and wants to quell gun violence and address poverty by promoting good schools, good jobs, and mental health services. He wants to expand youth engagement programs, raise community-based violence prevention funds, embrace large scale manufacturers, and incentivize small business.
Coleman supports cannabis dispensaries and would like to invest cannabis tax into blighted communities. He wants to encourage more young people to return to Decatur after college. He wants to encourage more community involvement, both politically and non-politically. He opposes the $25 fine for being in downtown parks from midnight to 6am. He wants to promote walkability & biking by making sidewalks wider & safer, though sees difficulties in establishing bike lanes. He supports electric buses.
Karl is the chair of the Macon County Democrats, serves on the Macon County Board and the Decatur Public Library Board. He has a degree in Political Science and African American Studies from U of I Springfield. He is the secretary of the Southside Improvement Association, works for Senator Dorris Turner's Office in Decatur, and has worked for Andy Manar in the past. He is the son of a former Decatur police officer, and his stepdad recently died due to gun violence. He is part of the recently formed Decatur Leadership Coalition, looking for ways to fund new programs and address gun violence.
Please use the feedback box at the bottom to suggest corrections or additions.
Policy Positions
- Public Safety: Supports police & advocates for alternate approaches. Supports "community policing", such as getting the Sheriff's department out of their cars and spending time amongst community members to engage with folks.
- Cannabis Dispensaries: Supports cannabis dispensaries in Decatur
- Downtown Park Closure, Fines: Opposes the $25 fine for anyone in Downtown Decatur Parks from midnight to 6am, which was adopted by City Council in December 2022 & was strongly opposed by many citizens and leadership in the Continuum of Care. He says there are some services like shelters and food pantries, but those don't necessarily get people a job. He says this ordinance is "just not the remedy to getting that problem solved." Coleman also thinks that Central Park should be available to "all citizens at all times" and talks about how the restriction could affect him if he's out at a late dinner and wants to stroll through Central Park.
- County Redistricting: Karl opposed the Republican-drawn County District maps that redrew voting districts and reduced the County Board from 21 members to 15. Karl said the new maps violate the 1965 Voting Rights Act by diluting the black vote. This was a highly partisan issue, and the new maps likely gave Republicans an advantage in the 2022 Macon County elections.
- Previously advocated for an aldermanic form of City Government
Goals
- Incentivize new businesses to come to Decatur
- "bring more people into the fold," as far as political activity and non-political community work, noting low turnout in municipal elections.
- "[make] sure the city is where we need to be financially," by bringing in additional funding through cannabis dispensaries, new business incentives, and "a lot of different avenues" that we "don't put [enough] emphasis and energy behind."
- Use cannabis tax revenue to invest in blighted communities and dilapidated buildings and houses.
- Encourage Decaturites to stay in or return to Decatur after graduating college.
Statements / Quotes
- he wants to hear from people in the community to figure out "what we can do together to make the city a better place."
- “African Americans are always a core key constituency within the Democratic vote share. So actually having someone in the leadership reflecting that, but also the ideals and the concerns within the community, I think, is another huge aspect there.”
- "I don't really have a certain set conscription on what office or what I would be doing in that area. It's about effecting as much change as possible, and where that is to be done is where you'll see me."
- From his 2022 County Board campaign: Karl believes we need a hollistic approach and that crime is often (but not always) a "poverty based behavior". He believes improving job opportunities will decrease crimes because people will use legal means of supporting themselves if they are available.
Current Roles / Jobs
- Macon County Democrats Chairman
- County Board Member
- Decatur Library Board Trustee
- Works for Senator Dorris Turner's Deatur office
- Secretary of Southside Improvement Association
History
- Elected to County Board in 2020
- Appointed to Library Board in 2020
- Re-Elected to County Board in 2022
- Graduated from the University of Illinois Springfield with a degree in political science and African American studies in 2021
Previous Jobs, Roles, and political activities
- Worked for Sue Scherer's 2016 Re-election campaign
- Worked for Shavon Francis's unsuccessful 2018 Democratic State Treasurer campaign
- Ran Senator Andy Manar's Decatur Office
- Helped run one of Marty Watkins's campaigns for Decatur City Council
- Participated in protests after George Floyd's murder
- Has volunteered with many organizations, including NAACP and the Good Samaritan Inn
Endorsed By
There may be other endorsements not yet listed here.
Additional Information
- son of a former Decatur Police Officer
- His stepdad died due to gun violence during the past couple years
Information from his 2022 County Board Campaign
See his 2022 Candidate Profile, from which all this information is pulled.
- Top 3 priorities: Revitalize the Macon County Business Economy, pass environmentally friendly policies, improve county processes.
- Wants to represent young, black, and minority voters
- Wants to ban no-knock warrants
- Wants to legalize cannabis dispensaries
- His interest is in "forward thinking" industries, such as building solar panels, constructing electric vehicles, and industries working to transition away from non-renewable energy sources.
- Quote: "Macon County [should] be the heart and the home of the Green Renewable Revolution going forward."
- He says we have the most fertile farming soil in the nation and need to protect it.
- He says we need a hollistic approach to mitigating pollution.
- He wants to revive the effort to build a county-operated recycling and composting facility, which was largely supported by Democrats, largely opposed by Republicans, involved funding from Howard Buffett, and would have included a property tax levy. It would have handled large items and hazardous items that are hard to dispose of.
- He is concerned about abortion rights being taken away
- "I just don't feel as if the decisions at the county level are being made to the benefit of all citizens" and that decisions are being made to serve "a select few."
- News Sources:
- Spends a lot of time watching BBC
- Uses a lot of internet based sites whether they are major publications or not
- Was an avid consumer of the Black News Channel before it was taken off the air in the past couple of months
- Occasionally watches MSNBC
- Reads a good deal of articles from numerous sources, which he gets from the Apple News App
- Local journalism
- From the political right, he says he looks at The Hill and sometimes Fox News to see how things are being reported.
Sources
- New Macon County Democrats chair 'ready to actively engage' voters: Much of Coleman's history comes from this article.
- State of Democracy, 2022 Macon County
- Downtown Park Closure, Fines
- County Redistricting
- MLK Day Interview
- 2022 Election Results
- Karl's 2022 County Board Campaign
Highlights
For more, see Karl Coleman's topic page
WAND Interview | 9 minutes
Karl Coleman interview with WAND
Community, Business, Cannabis, Homelessness
Karl Coleman is running for city council, because he believes our city is in a "pivotal moment" and ...
Video Interview | 6 minutes
Short interview of Karl Coleman from an MLK Day Meet & Greet event.
Campaign Video | 8 minutes
Karl talks about his 2023 City Council Platform at an MLK Day event.
All Highlights
Fewer Highlights
WAND Interview | 9 minutes
Karl Coleman interview with WAND
Community, Business, Cannabis, Homelessness
Karl Coleman is running for city council, because he believes our city is in a "pivotal moment" and ...
Video Interview | 6 minutes
Short interview of Karl Coleman from an MLK Day Meet & Greet event.
Campaign Video | 8 minutes
Karl talks about his 2023 City Council Platform at an MLK Day event.
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Q/A with Karl Coleman
collapse allWhat are your top three priorities?others' answers
Karl Coleman
Summary: Coleman didn't clearly list 3 priorities, but focused on: Quell gun violence & increase public safety; Attack the root causes of crime and poverty by investing in basics: the promotion of fair and equitable public schools, well paying jobs, housing & mental health services; Expand youth engagement programs; Raise Community Based Violence prevention funds; Embrace large scale manufactures and incentivize small business development
How do we attract and retain residents?others' answers
Karl Coleman
Summary: Karl Coleman spoke about engaging citizens in revitalization processes, getting more police officers that look like the community they serve, and long term "hollistic" approaches. He says we need to invest in struggling neighborhoods & spend more time in them, including representatives for the police department, the city, and the neighborhood.
How will you address Gun Violence?others' answers
Karl Coleman
Summary: Karl Coleman takes a different approach, saying we can't expect different results if we continue with the same approach & same mindset. He focuses on addressing the root causes of crime like abject poverty, hopelessness, and a lack of access to resources due to a "large disconnect" in our community. He says "a kid having a gun is a problem, but we need to look at *why* he has a gun at 14 years old in the first place," and that we should not keep looking at "band-aid solutions". He quotes Reveren
How would you improve public transit in Decatur?others' answers
Karl Coleman
Summary: Karl Coleman says our buses are phenomenal, but many residents think there's room for improvement. He's concerned about public transit funding being cut if city population or revenue declines. He'd like to support "active transportation," making it easier and safer to bike and walk around the city. Karl expressed interest in and apprehension about bike lanes, which he says can come with challenges. He wants to make sidewalks larger and safer, and is concerned about busy roads making...
Opening Statementsothers' answers
Karl Coleman
Summary: Karl is a lifelong Decatur resident and a product of Decatur Public Schools. He is an active and engaged member of the community and wants to be a part of positive changes in Decatur, where he sees many challenges and opportunities. He wants to use what he's learned from travelling to small and large Illinois Communities to bring a "change of pa...
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