After 3 years of service as Gary’s 1st District Councilman, Gary’s Common Council President, William G. Godwin, will file to run for Councilman At-Large this January.
A small business owner of Gary-based Godwin Realty Company and a lawyer, Godwin has served as Gary’s Council President since his colleagues elected him in January 2021 and again in January 2022. His colleagues elected him Vice-President in January 2020.
“Over the past three years, I’ve heavily supported public safety, advocated for smart policies to move the city forward, and pushed for transparency and accountability with checks and balances in local government. When I needed to stand up to bad policies, I did just that. That’s leadership: taking a stand and backing it up with the facts. I believe in legislating for the next generation, not the next election. We will only succeed as a city when we unite around good policy and programs that make sense. We’ve worked hard to increase public engagement with a bi-monthly council radio show and expanded social media access to government proceedings, especially through the Covid-pandemic.
“Serving as 1st District Councilman, covering Gary’s Miller, Aetna, Glen Ryan, and Emerson neighborhoods, has been a tremendous honor. I’ve sponsored and passed over $10M in projects happening in the 1st District, worked with Lake County Commissioner Kyle Allen to demolish the eye-sore at the old Ralph’s Grocery, selected Glen Ryan Pavilion for an extensive rehab, and kept residents informed about local government issues like never before. While on the council, I’ve also paid close attention to how our decisions impact the whole City of Gary, not just one district, both now and into the future.
“During my term, I’ve been thrilled to sponsor several American Rescue Plan ordinances bringing millions of dollars of opportunity to all parts of the city. I was also thrilled to sponsor legislation supporting two historic proposals for raises for Gary police and fire in 2020 and 2021. The 2020 proposed raise for public safety officers was vetoed. The 12% raise passed the council for police and fire in 2021, helping us better recruit and retain public safety officials, putting the city in a better position to compete with other departments offering higher salaries.
“I’m looking forward to running an intense, people and neighborhood, issue-focused campaign that will cover every inch of Gary’s 54 square miles.”
