10/08/2026
DAVID HORN’S REMARKS AT CANDIDATE FORUM
On October 7, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Decatur-IL Branch hosted a Candidates Forum. I thank the AAUW for inviting the mayoral candidates to the forum. Below are my introductory remarks at the forum.
Good evening and thank you very much for coming. I want to thank the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Decatur-IL Branch for hosting tonight’s Candidates Forum.
For over nine years, I have been a resident-centered city council member focused on improving where we live and enhancing quality of life for all. My priorities include public safety, job creation, and neighborhood revitalization.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Public safety takes many forms including police and fire protection, as well as safe roads. Let’s start by talking about the Decatur Fire Department which is experiencing a record number of calls year after year. I am particularly concerned that the number of fires calls continues to grow. At the end of August there were 310 fires calls and at this rate, the city will have 465 fires in 2026. By way of comparison, Decatur had 259 fires in all of 2021.
One of multiple explanations for the large rise in number of fires is that the city has a large number of vacant structures. As of February 2024, Decatur was estimated to have as many as 5,200 vacant properties and of those properties up to 1,000 may be at risk. If a recent study done in New York is applicable to Decatur, 1 in 3 structure fires are taking place in abandoned buildings. These vacant properties are not spontaneously combusting, and human activity is playing a role in the fires.
Public safety also involves road safety. I am a strong advocate of the radar speed signs that have been installed in several locations in the city, and I am confident they are having the intended effect of reducing speed. I certainly support adding more of them this year.
Public safety also involves solving crimes and holding those who commit criminal acts accountable. I am supportive of Flock cameras as they assist the Decatur Police Department solve crime including some of the most serious criminal activity. With that said, the recently documented illegal uses of Flock cameras that have taken place throughout the country are unacceptable, and the city must continue do everything it can to make sure residents are not victims of unlawful camera usage.
NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION
A second priority of mine is neighborhood revitalization which goes hand and hand with public safety. The presence of derelict properties is not only a fire risk and public safety issue, It is reasonable to conclude that residents do not feel safe when they live next to a burnt down house or abandoned property. Furthermore, leaving these derelict structures standing for long periods of time may threaten the city’s reputation by weakening public perception of safety.
Decatur continues to have unacceptably high levels of blight. For example, of the 18 neighborhoods within the city’s urban core, 11 neighborhoods have at least a 1 in 4 probability of a property showing a sign of blight such as a broken window, faulty roof (etc.)
Decatur has already demonstrated that crime is reduced, and quality of life increases, when blight is removed and neighborhoods are improved. The city received a $1.25 million grant from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation in 2020 to fund demolitions, cleanups, and lot acquisitions in the Johns Hill Neighborhood. The neighborhood experienced a substantial reduction in crime since the neighborhood was improved and a large increase in civic engagement that is critical to building the community. Multiple national studies have verified that the removal of blight and the creation of green spaces can result in a reduction in gun violence. If we want a safer city, we must remove blight and revitalize our neighborhoods.
GIVING RESIDENTS A VOICE IN DECISION MAKING
In my view, the best policy decisions a city council can make on issues such as public safety and neighborhood revitalization are those that take into account the views of residents. This is why I have called for a referendum on whether large-scale data centers should be built in our city, and it is why I routinely ask for resident feedback on topics coming before the city council whether it be support for a cannabis dispensary or lowering property taxes.
I am the strongest proponent of giving residents a voice in decision making. I am open, transparent, and easily accessible, and strive to respond to every correspondence I receive. Since I have been a council member, I have provided timely information on topics to be discussed at council meetings and my views are available on multiple social media platforms.
With the help of my colleagues, Consuelo Cruz and Dennis Cooper, we have given a voice to residents through the development of a monthly community forum called Council Connections which provides discussion of critical issues impacting residents. Since its inception last year, we have had 100’s of attendees and discussed topics ranging from the state of the city’s health care system, helping small businesses succeed, renter/landlord relations, and how the City be improved.
IT IS TIME FOR A NEW MAYOR
To improve where we live and enhance quality of life for all, it is time for a new Mayor. Decatur’s population has fallen 10.8% since 2010 (76,122 to 67,884). Decatur’s labor force has declined 20.5% since 2010 (from 36,719 in 2010 to 29,197 in 2025). In our city, the median household income is $51,592, the poverty rate is 19.4%, and the childhood poverty rate is ~30%, all worse than the national average.
Furthermore, as this forum is hosted by the AAUW, in regards to higher education, the percent of persons 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher in the city is 60% lower (21.6%) than the national average (35.7%). There are 5,743 fewer people with bachelors degrees in the city compared to the normal U.S. city. The city must do a better job of attracting individuals with a higher education to live and work in the city.
By working together, and focusing on public safety, job creation, and neighborhood revitalization, we can reverse our population decline and other negative trends. As an open, transparent, public servant, I am ready to lead our residents to grow our city as your next Mayor of Decatur. Thank you for your support, and I ask for your vote on April 6, 2027.