Marina Mangiaracina

Marina Mangiaracina

Education

High school

Classen School of Advanced Studies

Contact

Personal website

Marina Mangiaracina was a candidate for Ward 7 representative on the Oklahoma City Council in Oklahoma. She was defeated in the primary election on February 14, 2017. Click here to read Mangiaracina's response to Ballotpedia's 2017 municipal candidate survey.

Mangiaracina ran as an independent candidate for District 99 of the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 2016.

Biography

Email editor@ballotpedia.org to notify us of updates to this biography.

Mangiaracina was a student at the University of Oklahoma for five years and the manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder blog Welcome to Loud City from 2009 to 2017. Her work appeared at Sports Illustrated Online, Yahoo! Sports' Ball Don't Lie, Dime Magazine, BBallbreakdown, and Sheridan Hoops.

Mangiaracina's mother, Doris Mangiaracina Benbrook, was also a candidate for Oklahoma City Council in 2017, running for the open seat in Ward 4.

Elections

2017

See also: Municipal elections in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (2017)

The city of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, held a primary election for city council on February 14, 2017. A general election was scheduled for April 4, 2017. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was December 7, 2016.

The city council seats in Wards 1, 3, 4, and 7 were up for election in the February primary. Incumbents ran for re-election in every ward except for Ward 4. Ward 4 incumbent Pete White announced his intention to retire from the council in November 2016. Incumbent John Pettis Jr. defeated T. Sheri Dickerson and Marina Mangiaracina in the primary election for the Ward 7 seat on the Oklahoma City Council.

Oklahoma City Council, Ward 7 Primary Election, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
John Pettis Jr. Incumbent	80.69%	2,473
T. Sheri Dickerson	13.15%	403
Marina Mangiaracina	6.17%	189
Total Votes		3,065
Source: Oklahoma State Election Board, "Official Results," accessed March 4, 2017

Click [show] on the right for information about other elections in which this candidate ran.

2016 See also: Oklahoma House of Representatives elections, 2016 Elections for the Oklahoma House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 28, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was April 15, 2016. Incumbent George Young defeated Marina Mangiaracina in the Oklahoma House of Representatives District 99 general election. Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 99 General Election, 2016 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic George Young Incumbent 81.77% 9,421      Independent Marina Mangiaracina 18.23% 2,100 Total Votes 11,521 Source: Oklahoma State Election Board Incumbent George Young ran unopposed in the Oklahoma House of Representatives District 99 Democratic primary. Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 99 Democratic Primary, 2016 Party Candidate      Democratic George Young Incumbent (unopposed)

Campaign themes

2017

See also: Ballotpedia's municipal government candidate survey

Mangiaracina participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 survey of municipal government candidates. The following sections display her responses to the survey questions. When asked what her top priority would be if elected, the candidate made the following statement:

“

Reducing economic inequality. It's shameful that in recent years, the gap between rich and poor in Oklahoma continues to grow. It's not my goal to prevent people from being rich or living a luxurious lifestyle. But we have the means and resources to provide for everyone in society. By helping out the poor and needy, we are giving everybody in society a chance to succeed. Because we are equal people, I believe in doing all I can to promote equal opportunity.

”

When asked what she would most like to change about the city, the candidate made the following statement:

“

The size and scope of city government. This would allow for massive improvements for all citizens across the board. Better roads, new types of transportation, better fire service, low cost utilities, and a high end police force would be among the guaranteed improvements if the city government was simply more well funded. But if the city government increased in scope, greater things could be done. Ambulances could be provided as a free service by the city. Excess city funds could go towards local schools. City government could fund it's own news channel or web news service, keeping the public informed. Lastly, the city could develop publicly available leisure activities such as art or sports. All of these changes may seem broad and lofty. But I'm committed to keeping basic city services and long term quality of life as my priorities when attempting to increase the size and scope of city government.

”

When asked what she is most proud of about the city, the candidate made the following statement:

“

The ambition of the city's leaders and residents. Oklahoma City has never been the biggest or the best at much of anything, relative to some of the bigger cities in the USA. But that doesn't stop the residents and leaders of Oklahoma City from dreaming big. Sometimes, that dreaming big can turn out wonderful. Though I don't agree with the use of sales tax to fund MAPS, the Oklahoma City Thunder came to town because of MAPS. And the Thunder have been an invaluable addition to the city's local entertainment options and international profile. Other times, dreaming big can turn out disastrous. The most famous example of this was the disaster of the Pei plan in the 1960s and 1970s. The majority of historic downtown was demolished to make way for projects that weren't funded. Suddenly, the money dried up and the city was between a rock and a hard place. But even that setback doesn't stop OKC's determination and ambition. The Myriad Gardens, a wonderful community asset, are a result of the Pei Plan. And Oklahoma City managed to recover, as the lots once bulldozed by the Pei Plan have been redeveloped. So it's clear that Oklahoma City's ambition can and will pay off, at least in some ways. In office, I hope to continue Oklahoma City's historic ambition. But to maximize the effectiveness of that ambition, I will keep an eye for improving quality of life for all and making long-term sensible financial decisions.

”

Ranking the issues

The candidate was asked to rank the following issues by importance in the city, with 1 being the most important and 12 being the least important. This table displays this candidate's rankings from most to least important:

Issue importance ranking
Candidate's ranking	Issue
1	Government transparency
2	Civil rights
3	Environment
4	Homelessness
5	Transportation
6	Unemployment
7	Housing
8	Public pensions/retirement funds
9	City services (trash, utilities, etc.)
10	Recreational opportunities
11	Crime reduction/prevention
12	K-12 education

Positions on the issues

The candidate was asked to answer four questions from Ballotpedia regarding issues facing cities across America. The questions are in the left column and the candidate's responses are in the right column:

Question	Response
Is it important for the city’s budget to be balanced?	Very important
Which level of government do you feel should set a minimum wage?	State
What do you think is the best way to improve a city’s public safety?	Increased economic opportunities
How do you think your city should emphasize economic development?	Regulatory and licensing reforms, and tax reform

The candidate was asked to answer three questions from Ballotpedia regarding specific issues facing Oklahoma City in 2017. This section displays the questions and the candidate's responses.

Q1: Sales tax revenue in Oklahoma City has declined recently. How, if at all, do you think the city should respond to the decline in revenue?

“

The city should not charge sales tax at all. It's a known fact that sales tax hurts the poorest in the community the most. The city tax base should come from businesses, high-wage workers, and the wealthy. I believe in a government doing it's best to provide everyone a basic standard of living. This can be accomplished in two ways. A local income tax as employed in Kansas City, St. Louis, and New York City. There would be an exemption for those earning under a certain income. A corporate tax, scaled for large and small businesses. Long-term, a more permanent solution lies in diversifying the local economy. According to the city planning department, Oklahoma City's oil and gas industry is 6.65 times the national average in size. No other industry in Oklahoma City reaches even 1.5 times the national average. Unsuprisingly, this makes Oklahoma City less economically diverse than it's counterparts. Even Tulsa has more economic diversity than Oklahoma City does. Because of this lack of diversity in Oklahoma City's economy, our fortunes are determines by the price of the international oil and gas market. I accept that some people don't believe that the world's supply of oil is limited. Others may not believe in climate change. But even these groups of skeptics must accept that the international oil market is extremely volatile. There's no telling how international politics will play out, and it's a bummer to have the entire local economy subjected to the rises and falls of the market. If Oklahoma City could find other markets of the economy to corner and capitalize on, it could provide more of a cushion during oil busts. Good examples from the energy sector are solar and wind power, both of which Oklahoma City is in the upper tier for. Greater capital of public investment in things like health, lifestyle, integrated education, and improved education would also yield large dividends in terms of attracting new business. If enough new businesses migrated to Oklahoma City, that could provide an impetus for the local economy to diversify as well. But the Oklahoma City lifestyle needs to attract companies, not tax discounts and gated communities. And in order to improve overall public lifestyle, the city government needs much greater public investment. Goods purchased online remain a concern, but the city government remains powerless to do anything about it. Unfortunately, city governments must wait for the federal or state government to take action on their behalf. Personally, I support localities finding a way to collect all of their rightful taxes. Using eBay and Amazon tax-free is like Napster. A loophole that is too good to last.

”

Q2: A general obligation bond package will go before Oklahoma City voters in September 2017. Which projects, if any, do you think should be included in the bond package?

“

I am opposed to the GO Bond because of its' funding source. The GO bond is merely a long term property tax loan. In a perfect world, the city could be taxing property directly and using the money immediately. But because of the Oklahoma state constitution, Oklahoma City is reduced to taking out a loan to tax property. It doesn't make any sense to me. City Councillors are not able to change state law. But if a bond is the only way to get property tax money, and if there's no other way to balance the budget, then I would be more willing to consider GO Bonds. As a last resort, I would support a conditional GO Bond proposal. According to a 2015 State Tax System study done by the Institute of Economic Policy, property tax tends to hurt the middle class the most. Given that middle class people are often able to purchase homes, this is something to be avoided. There are two ways to make property tax more equitable. Make a homestead exemption, exempting everyone below a certain income from property tax. Make a property tax circuit breaker, so everyone under a certain income level can only pay so much in property tax. My yes below, indicating that I would favor an increased property tax rate to fund more bond projects, hinges on the property tax including one of my two ways to make property tax more equitable. (Or perhaps another way which I have not considered. But protecting the poor and middle class from unfair taxation is my goal.) If I was forced to spend the GO Bond money, I would spend it on core services. Every single department is hurting, and they all deserve to be more well funded and better treated. Establishing a free ambulance service, which should be a core service, would also be an ideal goal.

”

Q3: Would you favor increasing the property tax rate to fund more bond projects?

Yes

Additional themes

Mangiaracina's 2017 campaign website listed the following campaign issues:

“

Abortion A: Unsafe abortions cause 47,000 deaths and 5 million hospital admissions worldwide each year. The World Health Organization believes safe and legal abortions should be made available to all women. On that basis, I support a woman's right to choose. Black Lives Matter A: I support all of the main goals of the Black Lives Matter movement. That includes... Support of the swift and legal investigation of all police shootings of black people Official government tracking of the number of citizens killed by police, disaggregated by race. The demilitarization of local police forces. Establishing and supporting community accountability mechanisms for local police officers. I also support the development of education, and the dismantling of the prison industrial complex. Once in office, I would like to talk with local leaders of the movement about how I can further their goals from within the legislature. Campaign Finance Reform A: It costs $200 just to run for the Oklahoma State House of Representative. It costs $1000 to run for US Senate. Furthermore, party committees and "limited committees" are able to donate more to campaigns than an individual. Why is the campaign finance system set up to help the rich and powerful? We must make public office more accessible to the average citizen. If elected, I will support any form of public funding for elections. I would also support limits on campaign spending. Government should be accessible to all. Death Penalty A: The United States and Japan are the only two first-world countries to still kill people for crimes they committed. Oklahoma must end the barbaric practice of killing human beings. Energy A: Oklahoma has an energy-based economy, and heavy investments in the future of oil and natural gas. However, oil and natural gas are non-renewable resources that harm the environment. Non-renewable resources are going to eventually run out. Staking Oklahoma's future in both of these resources is a disservice to our children and grandchildren. Also, 'Clean Natural Gas' is a myth. Natural Gas is a fossil fuel, and produces 71% of the pollution that oil does. Changing production to natural gas just puts a band-aid on the problem. We must position Oklahoma to take advantage of upcoming renewable energy sources, like wind and solar power. Oklahoma stands to uniquely benefit from wind and solar power production. Oklahoma is the 9th windiest state, and has better than average solar energy potential. Oklahoma needs to continue giving out tax incentives to wind energy, and begin giving out tax incentives to solar energy. Also, the 'sun tax', which taxes citizens for using solar electricity, must be repealed. Nuclear power is not an option, especially with the earthquakes that now threaten Oklahoma. Education A: The current public school system is underfunded, teachers are underpaid, and college is not affordable. All of these facts must change. I will support any measure to increase educational funding. Fracking A: We must put an immediate end to fracking. The state of Oklahoma experienced 109 magnitude +3 earthquakes in 2013. The number increased to 585 in 2014 and 907 in 2015. This is quickly becoming a serious problem. I will support any legislation that even begins to reduce the amount of fracking allowed in this state. If something isn't done, these earthquakes will become more severe. We don't need more natural disasters affecting Oklahomans. Gun Control A: When our founding fathers drafted the second amendment, they had no idea of what firepower would be available in the modern age. Currently, the United States has 10 people of every 100,000 die each year due to gun violence. That's one of the highest rates per capita for a first-world country. Something must be done to curb gun deaths, and I support state gun laws that force every gun owner to be registered and have a permit. LGBT Rights A: As a trans woman and a lesbian, I realize the challenges that the LGBT community faces today. Same-sex marriage has finally been nationally legalized, but there is still a long way to go. LGBT people can still be discriminated against when applying for jobs, applying for housing, or using public services. Trans people are not guaranteed insurance coverage for medical expenses. And there is no proper precedent for trans people to change the gender on their birth certificate or driver's license. I will introduce bills to right all of these wrongs. Also, there is currently a 'Bathroom Bill' in the Oklahoma Senate committee. This bill would require people to use the restroom that matches their birth certificate. This bill is an attack on transgendered people who are physically unable to convincingly present on their new gender. As a 6'5", broad shouldered trans woman, I am part of the group that this bill targets. I heavily oppose this 'Bathroom Bill', and any other discriminatory legislation. Advocates say that the 'Bathroom Bill' protects women from sexual predators. However, there is zero statistical evidence that supports this claim. There has never been a verifiable instance of a trans person attacking a cis person in a restroom. There has also never been a verifiable instance of a male sexual predator posing as trans in order to gain access to the women's facilities. In fact, I will introduce legislation that specifically protects trans people's right to use the restroom of their gender identity. Prison Reform A: The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Oklahoma imprisons the second most people per capita in the United States. Clearly, something must be done to reduce the inmate population. Furthermore, something must be done to end the Prison-Industrial complex. Privately owned prisons simply exist to make money. Prisons should be there to rehabilitate, not just incarcerate. Prisons must supply prisoners with jobs that pay living wages, if they offer them. Furthermore, prisons should assist in getting inmates back into the workforce and into a stable support system once they leave. Obviously, this will require more funding. Religion A: I understand that religion is a very personal issue, and respect everybody's individual right to practice their own religion. I also have a profound respect for religions that support the local community and commit charitable acts. However, the tax shelters that are currently offered to religions are hurting our society on the whole. Many religions only exist to benefit their own members, and not the community at large. If there is a fair way to divide for-profit and non-profit churches, then I support only taxing the for-profit churches. Non-profit churches would have the goal of fulfilling a societal need, while for-profit churches would only exist to benefit their own members. If it proves impossible to find a fair line between for and non profit churches, then I support taxing churches and non-profits, just as we tax corporations. This would bring an incredible amount of money to the state, which could use it for improved education, healthcare, and transportation. Personally, I don't ascribe to any particular religion. But I believe in the principle of treating others as I would like to be treated. I also believe in loving my fellow human beings, despite what disagreements we may have. Taxes A: The state is drastically underfunded, and we need to increase our taxing of the rich in order to meet budgetary needs. The wealthiest 1% of the population in Oklahoma owns 20% of the wealth. That's a historical high, while taxation on the rich is at all time lows. We much increase income taxes on the rich in order to fund government. Income equality stimulates the economy. Furthermore, the rich are able to bear the brunt of of increased taxes, while the middle and working class people clearly cannot. Voting Reform A: Currently, the voting system in Oklahoma is 'first past the post'. The Oklahoma government splits the state into districts, and people run for their district. Whoever wins the majority in the district election, even if it's less than 50%, gets the seat. However, this style of voting lends itself to gerrymandering. That means political parties will draw the lines in their favor. For example, they will try to get districts that are full of Democrats or Republicans, so that seat will be safe for their party. But this practice must change. The two-party system has led to a stagnant congress that isn't willing to do anything, because the party leaders are so adamant about their viewpoints. I believe the state of Oklahoma should use an optional preferential voting system. Instead of voting for one candidate, you can list candidates in order of preference. If you don't like a particular candidate, you have the option of not listing them at all. Optional preferential voting allows for instant run-offs. This means that candidates will be able to run on similar platforms without having to worry about stealing each other's votes. The optional preferential voting system has been recently adopted by Minneapolis, Oakland, Santa Fe, Memphis, and Springfield (Ill.). If Oklahoma were to adopt it on a state level, they could lead the way for national reform. Ultimately, this will allow for more political candidates and parties. This will allow more issues to be put onto the table, which will mean a more well-informed and effective government. Additionally, I will support passage of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. This is a pledge by our state to award all of our electoral votes to whichever presidential candidate gets the most votes nationally. States with 30.7% of the electoral college's delegates have already joined. If 61.1% join, then it will go into law. The president will be elected by popular vote, rather than the electoral college. That is the only fair and just way to elect a national leader. I hope Oklahoma can be on the forefront of this reform. War on Drugs A: Illegal drugs are always going to be available, regardless of how tough the laws are. Harshly criminalizing drugs only serves to destroy the lives of people who are convicted. The state should focus on drug rehabilitation, rather than drug criminalization. People who possess a small personal amount of drugs should not get jail time. Furthermore, those who distribute drugs should be charged with misdemeanors, not felonies. The prohibition of drugs nationwide was created by the Nixon Administration, when they passed the Comprehensive Drug Abuse and Control Act of 1970. State laws for drugs were already in place, but this act established national policy. The purpose of the law was to criminalize a particular group of people. From CNN: 'The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people,' former Nixon domestic policy chief John Ehrlichman told Harper's writer Dan Baum for the April cover story published Tuesday. 'You understand what I'm saying? We knew we couldn't make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin. And then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities,' Ehrlichman said. 'We could arrest their leaders. raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.' I understand that there are some drugs that cause serious problems. Drugs like methamphetamine, heroin, MDMA, cocaine, and crack have serious potential for abuse. But it's been thoroughly proven that marijuana is less harmful than tobacco and alcohol. Furthermore, LSD and Psilocybin Mushrooms have actually been proven to have medical benefits. It's my personal belief that Marijuana, LSD, and Psilocybin Mushrooms should be completely legal. However, I realize that the public is mostly interested in marijuana legalization at this time. Marijuana legalization will be a national reality within the next 20 years. Oklahoma must move quickly if they want to reap the benefits. If Oklahoma legalizes and taxes marijuana, it will be a new source of revenue for the state. Colorado collected $70 Million in their first year of revenue. Washington collected $70 Million in their first year. Oregon earned $3.48 Million in their first month. With Oklahoma facing a $900 Million dollar budget shortfall, it's irresponsible for legislators to not explore this source of revenue. Furthermore, the decriminalization of marijuana will help free up the underfunded prison system.

”

See also

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma	Oklahoma	Municipal government	Other local coverage

Endorsements

2017

Mangiaracina received endorsements from the following in 2017:

• Ward 4 candidate Doris Mangiaracina Benbrook

External links

Suggest a link

• Oklahoma City Council
• Campaign website
• Social media
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn