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Photo Credit to the Black Wall Street Times
By Nehemiah Frank
Tulsa, Okla. — Douglas Collins, 50, is running for Tulsa County Commissioner against Senator Kevin Matthews in a Democratic primary race for District 1. Registered Democrats and Independents are encouraged to vote on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.
Collins is a native Tulsan and a graduate of Edison High School (Class of ’85). He earned a Business degree with a concentration in finance from Langston University.
Before moving back home to Tulsa, Collins traveled the world serving in the United States Army. His highest rank before retirement was Master Sergeant. He is a US veteran and served in various missions: Desert Storm, the Iraqi War, and the War in Afghanistan. He is an American hero.
If Collins were to win the primary and then the general election in November, he’ll be the principal administrator of Tulsa County.
A county commissioner’s duties are as follows:
- Selling or purchasing public land or buildings for the county
- Calling county elections for various purposes
- Approving the purchase of operating supplies, equipment, and services contracted for the county
- Developing personnel policies
- Supervising construction and maintenance of county property, owned or leased, that has value more than $250
- Preparing the county budget in conjunction with other county officers
- Auditing the accounts of other county officers
The term limit for county commissioner is four years.
Collins would like to see Oklahoma turn Democratic blue, but that would require an increase in Democratic voter turnout in a state that traditionally votes Republican red. He believes that such a turnout could change the political landscape of Oklahoma. This, in his opinion, is what constitutes progress.
Douglas says that the improvement of Tulsa County’s most recent success is a result of shared voices, Democratic and Republican ideas, working together to create a better metropolitan area in and around the city of Tulsa.
He believes that selfishness is the cause of stunted-growth in Tulsa and the surrounding cities. Collins wants to change that narrative.
“I would like to make Tulsa County a better place for everyone. The Tulsa County Commissioner’s race is key to bringing positive change and growth to those living in Tulsa County,” said Collins.
He went on to state that past commissioners weren’t personal or transparent with their citizens.
“Constituents in Tulsa and nearby towns say they are feeling neglected by their county commissioner,” which is now a vacant spot as of April 2, 2018.
“I’ve spoken to some businessmen, and they say they want a county commissioner who’s going to return their phone calls.”
Collins runs his campaign on honesty and integrity. He is also a member of the Black Wall Street Chamber of Commerce.
The Black Wall Street Chamber of Commerce formed as a result of the controversy surrounding the dissolution of membership in the historic Greenwood Chamber of Commerce.
Furthermore, the deterioration of the buildings on Greenwood and a lack of transparency between North Tulsa residents and the Greenwood Chamber board members regarding land exchanges, such as the ballpark, concerned residents who have reason to believe that the Greenwood Chamber board members have their own agenda, an ulterior motive equating to a complete gentrification of the historic Black Wall Street.
Residents are also upset about the rapid increase in rent and the lack of black businesses in the Greenwood District.
Senator Kevin Matthews sits on the Greenwood Chamber Board and is the Chair of the 1921 Tulsa Race “Riot” Commission. Senator Matthews continues to remain silent about the petition signed by residents demanding him to change the Commission’s name. Senator Matthews also uses the words “riot” and “massacre” interchangeably as if the definitions of the two were synonymous. But they aren’t.
“A church member, who is also a teacher and has been teaching for 40 years, said she reached out to Senator Kevin Matthews during the teacher walkout and never received a response,” said Collins.
Douglas Collins is hoping to win the June primary.
Photo Credit to the Black Wall Street Times
Nehemiah D. Frank is the founder and executive editor of The Black Wall Street Times. He graduated from Harold Washington College in Chicago, IL, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Oklahoma State University. A rising voice in America and an emerging leader in the education reform movement, Nehemiah frequently travels for speaking engagements around the country, is a blogger for Education Post, and has been featured on NBC as well as in Blavity and Tulsa People. Nehemiah is also a teacher at Sankofa School of the Performing Arts in Tulsa, OK, a 2017 Terence Crutcher Foundation honoree, a recipient of the 2017 METCares Foundation Community Impact Award, and a 2018 Oluko Fellow. He gave a TED Talk at The University of Tulsa in the spring of 2018.