Meet the candidates for Texas House District 96 in the Nov. 5 general election
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Republican Rep. David Cook is seeking his third term in the Texas House, running against Democrat Ebony Turner.
Cook, Mansfield’s former mayor who is running for House speaker, included combating the “Biden/Harris inflation crisis,” border security and lowering property taxes as his top 3 priorities.
Turner, an attorney, said her priorities include fully funding public education, opposing vouchers, protecting “reproductive health privacy” and expanding Medicaid.
House District 96 spans Kennedale and Rendon and includes part of southwest Arlington. It also includes a small part of southeast Fort Worth.
David Cook
Political Party: Republican
Age: 53
Campaign website: https://www.davidcookfortexas.com/
Best way for voters to reach you: 817-821-1096
Occupation: Managing Partner - Harris Cook Law; President/Escrow Officer - Yellowstone Title
Education:
BA, Public Administration - Stephen F. Austin State University; JD - Texas A&M University School of Law
Have you run for elected office before?
City of Mansfield Mayor (2008-2021)
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism:
State Representative, Texas House of Representatives (2021-Present)
Mayor, City of Mansfield (2008-2021)
Mansfield Cares - Board of Directors Feed the Kids Summer Program
Southeast Tarrant Transportation Partnership
Tarrant County Mayors Council
Mansfield Area Chamber of Commerce
Salvation Army North Texas
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain:
No
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain:
Divorce; defendant to a lawsuit.
Who are your top three campaign contributors?
Texans for Lawsuit Reform, Mr. Landon Jordan, and Mr. Stephen Lockwood
Why are you seeking this office?
“Public service is a noble calling.” I have devoted myself to serving our community my entire life. My community deserves a strong voice in the Legislature dedicated to advocating on behalf of its interests. My actions as a legislator reflect my strong commitment to servant leadership and I remain committed to earning my community’s continued support through my work in the Legislature on their behalf.
What are your top 3 policy priorities?
My top 3 policy priorities are combatting the Biden/Harris inflation crisis, securing our Southern border, and continuing to lower property taxes.
Why should voters choose you over your opponent(s)?
I believe that my lifelong dedication to public service and my ability to forge relationships to achieve the goals of my constituents sets me apart from my opponent. I have always put people over politics and my focus is to produce real results for my community.
What is the biggest challenge facing the district where you’re running, and what is your plan to address it?
The biggest challenge facing my constituents is the cost of everyday living spiraling out of control for Texas families. Whether it’s experiencing sticker shock at the grocery store checkout or the never-ending increased cost of necessities like clothes, gas, and electricity, life has never been more expensive. One of the leading drivers of inflation is government spending and I will continue to support policies that constrain the growth of state and local government spending while promoting tax cuts to put more money back in your pocket. I am committed to combating runaway inflation through every means possible: unleashing our energy economy, further tamping down on spending, and putting more money back in your pocket.
How would you measure your success as a state legislator?
I measure my success as a state legislator by my ability to build consensus amongst parties across the political spectrum and by doing this, achieve legislative victories for my constituents and my community.
Do you support vouchers or voucher-like programs, such as education savings accounts? Why or why not?
I do not believe that you have to choose between being pro-public schools and pro-school choice - you can support both. I am a product of public schools and my children are a product of public schools. I am also supportive of parents being empowered to take an active role to make the best decision for their child’s education and believe that the dollars should follow the child. Additionally, I would support increased funding for public education next session, including an increase to the basic allotment to keep pace with inflation.
What is your plan to fund Texas public schools?
As a legislator, I have always supported additional funding for our schools and pay raises for our teachers, including supporting an additional $12 Billion dollars in education funding last session. With costs skyrocketing everywhere, Texas must invest more dollars into our schools to ensure that they have the resources, materials, and expertise necessary to equip the next generation of leaders. I will continue to be a strong voice for more funding as well as increased compensation for teachers. I will also work to ensure that our retired teachers are receiving benefits reflective of their service and sacrifice to our state.
Has the state done enough to ensure a steady supply of electricity, even in tight grid conditions? What more should be done?
As Winter Storm Uri and other recent storms have shown, we should not take our ability to flip a switch and have the lights come on for granted. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the Public Utility Commission (PUC) should take a balanced approach to ensure that we have a reliable electrical grid while also ensuring that private industry continues to invest in our growing state. All sources of energy should be welcome to have a seat at the table.
What should the state do in the coming legislative session to address road infrastructure?
Last session, we allocated an additional $5 Billion to support transportation, including highway planning and design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction/maintenance of roads. Texas should continue to prioritize transportation funding to meet the needs of our growing state.
What should the state do in the coming legislative session to address the supply of water in Texas?
Last session, we allocated $1 Billion for the Texas Water Fund to shore up our state’s water resources and to address our growing demand for water. Texas should ensure that our water infrastructure needs to sustain continued growth in our state.
What should the state do in the coming legislative session to address border security along the Texas-Mexico border and immigration?
Unfortunately, the federal government has abdicated its role in addressing the crisis at our Southern border. Our wide-open border has allowed millions of deadly doses of fentanyl to flood into our country, human traffickers to operate their evil enterprises with impunity, and an undeniable influx of crime that has cost Texans their property and, in some tragic instances, their lives. As your State Representative, I have proudly supported state-led border security efforts and I will not stop prioritizing our community’s safety on this issue.
What should the state legislature do to address property taxes and affordable housing for Texans in the coming legislative session?
I was proud to support SB 2 and 3, which allocated a record $17.6 Billion toward property tax relief, raised the homestead exemption on school property taxes from $40,000 to $100,000, created a 3-year 20% appraisal cap pilot program for non-homesteaded property, and provided for savings on franchise taxes for approximately 67,000 small to medium-sized businesses. The Texas Legislature should continue to support policies which ensure that owning a home in Texas is an achievable goal for all of our constituents.
Should Texas make any changes to its current abortion laws. Why or why not, and what changes would you support?
As a father of four children and grandfather of six grandchildren, the sanctity of human life is sacred to me. I supported the Texas Heartbeat Act, which provided exceptions for medical emergencies in which the life of the mother is in danger or in which serious impairment to bodily functions could occur, and the Human Life Protection Act. Additionally, I coauthored legislation to extend healthcare coverage to economically-disadvantaged new mothers for up to 12 months postpartum and supported legislation to make baby, feminine hygiene, and medical products exempt from sales tax.
What’s an issue that doesn’t make as many headlines but is important to you? Why is it important?
As a Board Certified Family Law Attorney for over 30 years, I am intimately familiar with civil procedure in our family law courts. However, having served on the Juvenile Justice & Family Issues Committee both sessions that I’ve served as a legislator, I’ve come to know more about and heard extensive testimony related to gang violence, youth correctional and rehabilitation facilities, and criminal procedure related to juveniles in our criminal courts. The work of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department and the juvenile system as whole to rehabilitate our state’s youth deserves more of our attention.
What steps will you take to communicate with constituents about their concerns, needs and the actions of the state legislature?
I remain committed to actively communicating with and responding to my constituents’ needs. I communicate items of interest on my social media platforms, mail a bi-yearly newsletter with legislative updates, and actively participate in community events and forums. My office stands ready and willing to assist with any issues facing my constituents.
Ebony M. Turner
Political Party: Democrat
Age: 48
Campaign website: Www.ebforhd96.com
Best way for voters to reach you: Campaign Website: Www.ebforhd96.com or Email: ebonyturnerforhd96@gmail.com
Occupation: Attorney
Education: B.A. University of Texas at Austin, Major: English/Minor: Spanish-1998; J.D. St. Mary’s University School of Law, 2001
Have you run for elected office before?
Yes-Judicial Candidate Tarrant County Criminal Court 6-2022
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism:
Volunteer-Unbound NOW; Volunteered and Organized many political events such as candidate forums; Meet the Elected Officials events; Civics 101; and Voter Registration Drives; Serve as President of the Historic West Mansfield Texas Community Development Corporation, a non-profit organization; Founder of the EMTLAW Future Lawyers Internship Program (“FLIP”), a non-profit organization that pairs college and law students with attorneys/firms; Participated in various community service-related activities through my Sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated; Organized canned food drives and community Easter Egg Hunts; advocated on behalf of students and parents at School Board meetings, with State Legislators, and at Tarrant County Commissioners Court. I am also a Volunteer Deputy Registrar.
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain:
No
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain:
Yes, 2 civil suits, both dismissed in my favor.
Who are your top three campaign contributors?
Michelle Valdez; Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund; Sandra Lee
Why are you seeking this office?
The reason I decided to run is because I am staunchly against vouchers because I have a son with special needs. Vouchers defund public schools which will ultimately hurt students like my Isaiah. The Legislature, by and large, controls the public school purse strings, so I need to be in the rooms where the changes are made.
What are your top 3 policy priorities?
1. Fully funding public education, including saying no to vouchers 2. Protecting women’s reproductive health privacy, and 3. Expanding Medicaid to allow greater access to health care and other resources for all Texans.
Why should voters choose you over your opponent(s)?
The reasons I am running are personal. I am not trying to curry political favor with any elected officials. I already advocate for the citizens in my District, particularly parents and children, on a regular basis. I am deeply invested in my community and am concerned with getting their needs met. I want to step up my commitment so I can help the citizens in my District at a higher level. Finally, The “L” in my P.E.R.S.O.N.A.L acronym slogan stands for “Legislation with Compassion.” My opponent voted against such measures as paid maternity leave and the creation of a Sickle Cell Registry. We need to restore and advocate for the rights and advancement of citizens, not take away and tear them down. I believed my community engagement and my commitment to legislating with compassion are what sets me apart from my opponent.
What is the biggest challenge facing the district where you’re running, and what is your plan to address it?
I believe fully funding public education is the biggest challenge facing my district. I believe the decision by the Governor to withhold public school funding was one of the worst ever, and we will see the repercussions for years to come. We are already seeing schools closed; teachers terminated, and programs eliminated. My plan would be to vote against vouchers, fight for fully funded public education, fight to increase the per-student allotment, and fight for teacher and Paraprofessional pay raises.
How would you measure your success as a state legislator?
I would measure my success as a state legislator by knowing that I have filed for, and voted for, as many bills as possible that adequately address the challenges facing my district and the needs of my constituents.
Do you support vouchers or voucher-like programs, such as education savings accounts? Why or why not?
I do not. As I stated, my son has special needs. Vouchers hurt students like him because the private schools accepting the Vouchers do not have to accept him as a student, nor do they have to provide any special education services like the ones he receives in public schools. Vouchers eventually defund the public school system.
What is your plan to fund Texas public schools?
First, I believe we need to discontinue the discussion of the implementation of a voucher system.
Second, the State’s share of funding public education should stay as close to the 50% threshold as possible. I believe we should establish a formula in which the State’s share of school funding is not allowed to decrease below a certain level, which I believe should be 45%. This would be the case whether local revenues increase or not.
Finally, I believe the per-student allotment should be based more on enrollment rather than attendance.
Has the state done enough to ensure a steady supply of electricity, even in tight grid conditions? What more should be done?
While there have been some improvements to the grid since 2021, I do believe more can be done. Specifically, I believe Texas should connect to neighboring grids, winterize power plants, and vary our energy sources.
What should the state do in the coming legislative session to address road infrastructure?
The bipartisan infrastructure bill passed by the U.S. Congress is projected to provide over 25 billion dollars for roads and bridges over the next 5 years. We need to ensure that Texas takes full advantage of these resources. Because of the rapid growth in Texas, if we don’t take advantage of these resources, or otherwise address the funding gap left by the state’s current revenue sources, such as the gas tax, we face a $15 billion dollar annual gap over the next 10-15 years.
What should the state do in the coming legislative session to address the supply of water in Texas?
The State should designate more sites for the development of reservoirs, to ensure the availability of large volumes of renewable and affordable water supplies.
What should the state do in the coming legislative session to address border security along the Texas-Mexico border and immigration?
Immigration is a federal issue. There was a bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. Senate that would have addressed border security by providing for more immigration judges, more border security agents, and the authority to close the border altogether if there were too many illegal crossings, but Republicans killed the bill allegedly for political reasons. I think State lawmakers should encourage their U.S.
Congressional counterparts to pass comprehensive bipartisan border security legislation, which we, as a state, should then follow.
What should the state legislature do to address property taxes and affordable housing for Texans in the coming legislative session?
Since Texas ranks nearly dead last for funding housing and community development, the state should increase funding in that area, especially for affordable housing. The state should also increase property tax exemptions such, as the homestead exemption.
Should Texas make any changes to its current abortion laws. Why or why not, and what changes would you support?
My belief is in privacy rights for women’s reproductive health. Some decisions should just be made between a woman, her doctor, and her faith leader. I believe there should be exceptions for rape, incest, and the health of the mother. No doctor or other person should be penalized for providing reproductive health care. No woman should bleed out and die in a parking lot, or have to flee the state unable to get the health care she needs.
What’s an issue that doesn’t make as many headlines but is important to you? Why is it important?
I feel that the necessity to expand Medicaid doesn’t get the coverage it deserves. Every year, Texas leaves billions of dollars on the table and leaves millions of Texans uninsured and without necessary resources, just because of the refusal to expand Medicaid. I believe Medicaid has a certain negative connotation associated with it and because of that, people don’t understand the benefits and resources so many Texans could take advantage of if we would just accept and use those dollars. I believe education and exposure are the keys here.
What steps will you take to communicate with constituents about their concerns, needs and the actions of the state legislature?
I plan to have an open-door policy in which constituents can show up at my office to voice their ideas and concerns. I think town hall meetings, newsletters, and of course, social media are also effective ways of keeping constituents informed.
This story was originally published October 14, 2024 at 1:53 PM.
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