Fannie Bates files for Oklahoma County Commissioner

Fannie Bates, a local teacher and activist, has entered the race to become the County Commissioner for Oklahoma County District I.

Bates received her B.S. from OU in 1971 and her M.P.H. from OUHSC in 2001.

She was one of the complainants who successfully attacked TABOR in the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Bates was one of eleven citizens who successfully attacked the English Only Initiative Petition in 2001.

In the mid-90’s, Bates unsuccessfully attempted to prevent the state legislature from selling University and Children’s Hospitals to Columbia HCA, a company then owned by the family of Bill Frist.

Bates is a fourth generation Oklahoman. Her Irish/Cherokee grandmother walked to Oklahoma from Alabama in 1896.

Bates has one son, Jonathan Bates, who is on the President’s Honor Roll at OCCC. He is also the youth pastor at Apostolic Faith Church in Northwest Oklahoma City.

Ms. Bates has done a great deal of volunteer work including tutoring, mentoring, and assisting students in college preparation.

Ms. Bates is an amateur playwright and director. Her most recent play, “Indian by Blood”, tells the story of the struggle of a Black Indian cowboy to be accepted fully by his tribe. The play has been performed in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Edmond.

Bates’ platform includes the following:

1. Using the position of County Commissioner to take back control of University and Children’s Hospitals from the three billionaires who now own/control them

2. Supporting the community health centers, including the new one that is being located in the old Truman School (where Bates taught in 1971-73)

3. Helping all local schools by providing technical assistance and labor

4. Fighting the local effects of globalization by pushing agriculture and the arts in our local schools

5. Providing free tutors for students on Sunday afternoons/evenings

6. Supporting mass transit within Oklahoma County – including utilization of existing tracks

7. Increase availability of medical services to all citizens of Oklahoma County

8. Making interpreters available to persons conducting county business, including sign languages and other languages (Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, etc.) commonly spoken in Oklahoma County

9. Increasing tornado preparedness throughout Oklahoma County. Providing storm shelters around the District and providing information on how to find a storm shelter.

10. Studying the impact of the fiscal irresponsibilities related to the current war in Iraq on the citizens of Oklahoma County.

11. Developing a diesel production unit for Oklahoma County that will make fuel out of sunflower seeds, like Willie Nelson has done in Texas. This will save Oklahoma County money on fuel, reduce dependency on foreign oil, and give local people a way to make a little extra money

12. Using the profits from our bio-diesel operation to subsidize the bus service to Midwest City and Del City until we get light rail

Bates is a member of the OEA, AFT, NAACP and LULAC. She is not related to Bart Bates, who is also running.

Contact: Fannie Bates (405) 819-2617
3140 N.W. Expressway, #133, Oklahoma City, OK 73112