Tulsa City Council District 1 Candidates Discuss Issues During Forum

Voters were able to hear from candidates running for a Tulsa city council seat.

Thursday, August 4th 2022, 10:30 pm

By: McKenzie Gladney

TULSA, Okla. -

Thursday night voters got to hear from candidates running for a Tulsa city council seat.

The three candidates, Vanessa Hall Harper, David Harris, and Francetta Mays used the forum to introduce themselves to voters and share their plans for their district.

District 1 encompasses the historic Greenwood District and the northern part of Tulsa.

Vanessa Hall-Harper is finishing her third term and is running for re-election.

She’s a Tulsa native who runs her own business and is an adjunct professor at Tulsa Community College.

Hall said her priorities for district one are adequate and affordable housing, food security, public safety, public transportation, and economic development.

David Harris is a Tulsa native who’s a military veteran and owns a TV network.

Harris said his priorities are neighborhood safety, economic opportunities, reducing the unemployment rate, improving median income, and attracting new residents.

Francetta Mays is a local pastor who’s lived in Tulsa since 1999.

Mays said her priorities are new education levels, community compassion, community relations, and unity.

At the forum, the community asked candidates several questions. One of those – “How will you fight for Tulsa?”

“We’ve had four expungement expos. We’ve helped over 400 people’s records be expunged. And so that is fighting. That is an example of improving quality of life," said Councilwoman Vanessa Hall Harper.

“We gon' stand together. Whatever that means. If you need me to hold the gun, we gon' hold the gun. If you need to bring the ammunition, I’m going to bring the ammunition. If you need me to aim, I’m going to aim. Whatever it is you need, I’m going to do that," said David Harris.

“I take money out of my refrigerator and go down to the homeless shelter and go down there and pass food out. I put people in my car and take them to get food. I don’t know how you want me to fight, but that’s how I fight," said Francetta Mays.

Their race will be on Tulsa ballots on August 23.