Decatur City Commission Campaign Disclosures For September
Decatur Metro | October 8, 2009Back in August, Creative Loafing’s Scott Henry almost peed his pants when the city of Atlanta put its mayoral candidate disclosures online. It was an understandable reaction, since the old way of obtaining campaign disclosures sounded like a Baggins-esque journey.
Before now, if you wanted to see who gave money to a mayoral candidate, you had to schlep down to City Hall, find your way to the municipal clerk’s office, park yourself in front of a computer — there’s only the one — that looks like it still runs Windows 95 and click on a PDF file. If you wanted the information printed out, it cost 25 cents a page, as I recall. If you wanted it put on a disc so you could view it using an operating system from this century, it cost $30 a pop.
That originally got me thinking about the Decatur City Commission candidates’ campaign filings and their comparable accessibility. After failing to find them online, I finally got around to requesting them from the city. And being the ultra-responsive bunch they are, I received campaign disclosure pdfs from the city clerk the very next day! (And I’d just like to reiterate that anyone can request this stuff, not just me and my big, fat online reputation.)
So following in the footsteps of the AJC’s Jim Galloway – who announced Atlanta mayoral September campaign disclosures this morning – and in an effort to provide similar ease of access for Decatur residents, here are your city commission candidate’s full campaign disclosure forms in pdf format for September (in alphabetical order)…
Interesting. Could we please get these for the school board candidates too (only the ones still running)? Or do they have to do this?
School Board candidates also have to file. They are elected positions.
Note that contributions of less than $101 are lumped together and are not individually reported.
So much for my $5 contributions.
But every little bit counts!
Interesting indeed !
Lots of non-Decatur contributors?
Winnona Park Stud’s quick summary of disclosures. The candidates have to identify contributors who give in excess of $101.
District 1:
James Radford – $265 in contributions reported for this period, none over $101. 2 loans from himself totaling $327. $465 in total contributions and $127 in expenditures to date. No campaign committee organized.
Fred Boykin – $1,400 in contributions reported for this period, with 3 contributors identified, all Decatur residents. $6500 or so in total contributions to date, and he’s spent less than half that.
District 2:
Patti Garrett: $5,800 in contributions reported for this period, 9 contributors identified, 7 of which are Decatur residents. Also received a $1,500 loan (from her husband). $9,000 or so raised to date, with $6,000 and change in expenditures.
Kyle Williams: A whopping $16,000 in contributions reported this period, 49 contributors identified, almost all residing outside of Decatur (about 5 of the 49 are Decatur residents). $24,000 raised to date with $8,000 in expenditures.
The upshot:
The incumbent Boykin is crushing Radford in the money race in District 1. The real fight is in District 2. Kyle Williams is raking it in (mostly from non-Decatur residents), and has a ton of cash on hand. Can the well-oiled Williams’ money machine take down the scrappy Patti Garrett ? Stay tuned.
(Full disclosure: Winnona Park Stud supports Patti Garrett).
I noticed that, too, when I looked at Kyle Williams’ disclosure statement. I know there’s nothing illegal about it– but I, too, can’t help but be curious about a candidate whose local campaign is funded overwhelmingly by people who, well, aren’t local. Odd, that.
District 2 shootout:
Pat Garrett versus Williams the Kid!
Only in Decatur
I too am very surprised at the amount of non-Decatur donations. I don’t have a moral or ethical problem with that of course; networking is important whether in or out of the city.
I just wonder why so many donate so much to a race that doesn’t affect them. Or does it affect them in some way that I don’t see?
I know if I had a friend running in another municipality, I would consider supporting him/her, without any expectations.
Definitely something that I never thought about before, in deciding which candidate I would support. I guess this era of new technology is going to change a lot of things.
(I’m District 1 and don’t have a vote in that race.)
I guess all those Atlanta lawyers could be friends, or maybe they’re just “making friends” now for when Kyle leaves Decatur for higher office somewhere.
Seriously. There’s contributions on his sheet from the DC PACs for the Teamsters and Electricians. What do they care about Decatur politics? Maybe we’re some secret hotbed of developer opportunity and I’ll be able to get me one of those No Show jobs like on the Sopranos.
At least James Radford’s keeping it lean and mean. Money doesn’t come without strings. I’m just sayin’.
Word, Uncle B.
Ha! I was honestly hoping nobody would realize just how “lean and mean” (thanks, Uncle Bob) our operation actually is! Nonetheless, we are proud of all the people we have managed to personally meet, and grateful for everyone who has been willing to listen to what we have to say. Expect to hear more over the coming weeks. And, hey, we could use some yard signs, so feel free to make a contribution at http://jamesradford.blogspot.com!
I personally would want someone beholden to residents rather than developers and attorneys. I also would rather someone more concerned about the City of Decatur and our needs than their next step in their political career. I hope this does not mean we are seeing a sea change in Decatur politics.
I am proud to be one of the Decatur residents listed on Kyle Williams’ disclosure statement. Kyle does indeed have many friends across the Metro area and beyond- he has earned the respect of those friends for his many leadership contributions to area community groups, including local volunteer work with CSD schools, serving on the Decatur Zoning Board, as Board Chair of Georgia Equality, a long time board member of Red Clay Democrats, a graduate of Leadership DeKalb and a member of DeKalb County CEO Ellis’ transition team. Many of his donors are excited to see Kyle get to put his vision and energy in elective office for a metro area community.
Please reach out to Kyle to find out more about his campaign- he has a lot of great plans to be a busy commission member that can help Decatur continue its progressive and inclusive path.
I have never seen a campaign for City Commissioner that has had more money contributed to it from outside Decatur. Or, as much.Over $24,000.
Kyle Williams has been given $ 1,900 from two Washington PACS and over $8,200 from itemized constributors, mostly lawyers, from outside of Decatur. Only 5 of his listed 44 contributors actually list a Decatur address.
Sorry macarolina, but Kyle appears to me from your comments to be a professional politician in training, enlisting the help of his politically connected friends to win office.
Folks in district 2 will have to make up their own minds: Will he use the office to move onto the next one ? Is the Decatur City Commission now a launch pad for “budding” politicians ?
Give me someone who lives here and knows enough people to get more than 5 residents to contribute over $100.