One candidate running to represent Oklahoma City’s House District 87 was encouraged to seek office by outgoing Collin Walke (D-OKC), while the other believes Walke “did not do anything” for the residents of the district.
Democratic candidate Ellyn Hefner has advocated for the disability rights of adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities for 18 years at the state Capitol, she said. She currently is employed as a financial advisor at Mass Mutual, where she works with families who have children with disabilities.
“I heard something on the (House) floor, and it’s almost like the services and policy they are putting out is not really working for families who’s using it, and I was like, ‘They need my voice, the voice of a parent, the voice that listens and has done the work,'” Hefner said. “When Collin Walke asked me if it was my time to run, I never really took that seriously until he asked me about it.”
Republican candidate Gloria Banister jointly owns I-44 Riverside Speedway, an organic produce farm, a cow-calf operation and a gourmet mushroom grow with her husband. Banister said she was motivated to run for office by her desire to work as a liaison between the people and businesses of HD 87 and state government, and she said it is her opinion that Walke did not help his constituents during his six years in the seat.
“I never saw him. He never knocked on my door, and I never saw him within the district. I don’t believe he did much for our district, especially my precinct where we live,” Banister said. “He did things for Oklahoma, but not for the people of the district.”
In August, Banister prevailed from a controversial primary election runoff over opponent Scott Esk. As the lone Democrat in the race, Hefner did not face an opponent in the primary election.
Oklahoma’s general election is set for Tuesday, Nov. 8, and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early voting runs from Wednesday, Nov. 2 through Saturday, Nov. 5. More details are available from the Oklahoma State Election Board.
House District 87 candidates differ on school choice
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Open in new tab Banister said she believes the most pressing issue facing House District 87 is inflation, for which she would like to provide families relief by removing the state portion of the sales tax on groceries.
“I can tell you for sure, without a doubt, that people in the district at the door are not happy with having to pay a food tax,” Banister said.
Additionally, Banister said she wants to cap the state income tax at three percent. (The current top income tax rate is 4.75 percent, and a 1.75 percent reduction would equate to a drop in state revenue of about $1.75 billion.)
“Not only would it stimulate the economy, it could lead us to reduce over regulations that small businesses are having to pay,” Banister said.
Asked whether she would support removing the state portion of the sales tax on groceries, Hefner said she would. Like Banister, however, Hefner said she believes lowering the state income tax would bring more relief to low-income families.
“How about state income tax? There is a big one to help families who are on the lower income side,” Hefner said. “That would be a bigger help.”
On school choice policies, which included one of the most contentious bills of the 2022 legislative session, Banister said she would have to read the proposal for “education empowerment accounts” if it were brought back during the 2023 legislative session. Still, she said she believes “parents must be allowed options for their children to get the best possible education.”
“I believe, as a state, we can do nothing less,” she said. “Our schools are failing students. I don’t know how it happened. I know it’s not just the current administration, or the last administration. It’s been a long time coming.”
Hefner said she does not support school vouchers — proposed as “education empowerment accounts” in SB 1647 this year — because it does not benefit those with disabilities.
“My question to people who bring up school choice is does it work with people who have a disability? That is a ‘No,'” Hefner said. “I don’t think that we can have a north disability school and a south disability school when private schools aren’t accepting people with disabilities.”
Hefner’s son, who was born with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is a recipient of the Lindsey Nicole Henry (LNH) Scholarship, the only education voucher program in the state. The program allows for the parent or guardian of a public school student with a disability and who spent the prior school year enrolled in an Oklahoma public school to request for their child to attend a participating private school approved by the State Board of Education.
“It’s great for him, it just doesn’t work for all Oklahomans,” Hefner said. “So it would be a definite ‘No’ for me.”
‘Where’s the common sense?’
Through knocking doors, Hefner said affordable housing, vagrancy and mental health are some of the top areas of concern for House District 87 residents. For any policy, Hefner said she would rely on her knowledge of policy-making as it relates to disability.
“Everything I’ve learned about disability and building on top of that is the same way that I would act with any other policy,” Hefner said. “Does it work? How are families able to use it? Is it just for a small amount of people? Does the district want it?”
During the 2005 legislative session, Hefner went to the Capitol and spoke about the SoonerStart program, in which she and her son took part. That spurred her to get involved with numerous organizations to advocate for Oklahomans with IDD’s, such as Partners in Policymaking, Oklahoma Family Network and the SoonerStart Interagency Coordinating Council, among others.
Having already built relationships with some lawmakers, Hefner said her experience in advocacy would lend well to representing House District 87.
“I think experience with working as an advocate up there at the Capitol, understanding how it works, understanding the relationship building that it takes, understanding how the budget process works, and how I like it to work — I think that experience with working with people in the communities, [it’s] all being a part of Oklahoma,” Hefner said.
As an owner of multiple small businesses, Banister said her understanding of how businesses function within Oklahoma makes her a stronger candidate as a legislator.
“First, I understand the damage that’s been caused by overregulation from our administration,” Banister said. “When you go nationally, it’s the Biden administration, but even in Oklahoma — the over-regulation of taxes and fees and permits — all those matter to small businesses.”
One example Banister outlined involved purchasing a license to sell beer for I-44 Riverside Speedway. Banister said the ABLE Commission wanted her to pay the same fee that a restaurant would for annual use, despite the speedway only racing 28 days out of the season. She said the ABLE Commission would not issue her business a 28-day permit.
“Those are the types of over-regulations I’m talking about. Where’s the common sense? There seems to be no checks and balances,” Banister said. “In our jobs, we have to make sure our bills are paid, our taxes are paid, any staff that we may have, payroll has to be made. That’s where the difference is (…) over my opponent.”
Asked how she compares herself to Hefner, Banister said she does not believe Hefner will unite Oklahomans.
“I don’t know her, but I what I do know is that we’ve got to reject those who seek to divide us, and I want to unite everyone to provide a bright economic future for all of us, and I don’t believe my opponent can do that,” Banister said. “My voice will be heard on the House floor, for sure.”
Asked about Banister, Hefner declined to discuss how she compares herself with her opponent, saying it is best to talk about one’s own platform and experience.
