David Goins | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Alton, Illinois | |
| Assumed office May 12, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Brant Walker |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1960-07-26) July 26, 1960 |
| Spouse | Sheila Goins |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | B.A. College of the Ozarks |
David Goins (born July 26, 1960) is an American politician who was elected in 2021 as the first African American mayor of Alton, Illinois.[1][2]
Biography
Goins was born on July 26, 1960, the son of Mark and Opal Goins.[3] His mother died in 1967 and his father died in 1971.[3] He was raised thereafter by his grandparents.[3] In 1978, he graduated from Alton High School[3] where he was an all-star basketball player.[4] In 1983, he graduated from the College of the Ozarks on a full basketball scholarship with a B.A. in English.[3] After school, he worked as a detention officer and correctional officer at the Madison County Department of Court and Probation Services.[3] In 1986, he joined the Alton Police Department reaching sergeant in 1999.[3] He retired as a police office in 2010.[3] in 2016, he was elected to the Alton school board.[4]
In 2021, Goins entered the race for mayor of Alton on a platform focusing on the recruitment of new businesses, job growth, the revitalization of the downtown, COVID-19 vaccinations, and the encouragement of recent college graduates to return to the city.[3] He was supported by the local unions.[5] On April 6, 2021, Goins was elected mayor of Alton defeating two-term Mayor Brant Walker 2,021-1,625 to become the first African-American mayor[3] since the city's founding in 1818. In 2019, Alton was 68.7% white, 24.9% Black, 0.4% Asian, 1.6% Latino, and 4.3% multi-racial.[6] He was sworn in on May 12, 2021.[3] In July 2021, Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker appointed Goins to the Central Port District Board.[7] Upon taking office, he faced 8.5% unemployment, the loss or closure of over 200 businesses due to Covid, and a budget shortfall fueled by underfunded public employees' pensions.[8] In his first term, he reversed a $3.1 million deficit to a $2.1 million surplus, established a new business district that attracted major national retailers, and hired additional police officers and fully equipped the force with body-worn cameras.[9]
Goins defeated Brant Walker and Raymond Strebel in the April 1, 2025 general election.[10]
Personal life
In 1985, he married Sheila Goins; they have three children.[3] Since 2001, he has served as a pastor at the Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church in Alton.[3] In 2018, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.[3]
See also
References
- ^ Branan, Dan (April 6, 2021). "City Of Alton Election Results: David Goins Is New Mayor". River Bender.com. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ^ Benchaabane, Nassim (April 7, 2021). "Maplewood, Alton elect first Black mayors; Belleville elects first woman mayor in upsets to local incumbents". St. Louis Dispatch. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Suttles, Dylan (April 9, 2021). "Untapped potential: Alton's first Black mayor says he's ready". The Telegraph.
- ^ a b Suttles, Dylan (February 3, 2025). "Alton Mayor David Goins: From high school basketball star to pastor and politician - David Goins is seeking a second term as Alton's mayor". The Telegraph.
- ^ "Teamsters, Laborers back Alton mayoral challenger David Goins". Saint Louis Labor Tribune. March 8, 2021.
- ^ "B03002 HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN BY RACE - Alton - 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. July 1, 2019. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ^ Brennan, Dan (July 20, 2021). "Gov. Pritzker Appoints Alton Mayor David Goins To America's Central Port District Board". riverbender.com.
- ^ Davis, Elliott (November 4, 2011). "From pulpit to politics: Alton mayor on what surprised him after taking office". FOX2now.
- ^ Turner, Lacey (April 2, 2025). "Leadership and Legacy: Mayor Goins Bids for Re-Election in Alton". St. Louis Argus.
- ^ "Goins wins reelection in Alton mayoral race". FOX2now.
