NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — How much should the state be involved in community decisions?
For Alice Rolli and Freddie O'Connell, this was perhaps the biggest point of contention in the final mayoral debate before early voting opens.
Do you think we need an officer in every school, and should the state be allowed to override Metro's decision?
"We've done very well as a city governing ourselves... without a lot of state overreach. I'd be inclined to listen to our leaders in the police department, to our leaders in the metro school system and to our leaders right on the ground...We know from multiple lockdown scenarios that they have been generally safe. We know that our school leaders are doing the right things to inform our school communities. They are working closely with law enforcement on training. I think if we are looking at staffing models within metro police," O'Connell said.
He cited the improvements they have seen in policing such as increased personnel, increased pay and facilities and equipment improvements as well.
"For me, knowing that there is a partnership between school and police, I have a lot of confidence in our school leaders and having that conversation even at the school level, much less the city level. I'd rather the state not interfere and allow Dr. Battle and Chief Drake to continue to have the appropriate conversations to figure out what resources are necessary."
Rolli took the opposite approach.
"Our teachers have the right to be safe in the buildings that they are working in... that means we should have an armed and uniform member of our police there on sight. These are our most vulnerable children and our teachers," she said.
The debate about state involvement trickled into the next question as well.
Tell us why you are the best person to go about repairing relationship with the state and how you plan to do that if elected?
Rolli said to take the ego out of it.
"Securing generational investments for Nashvillians can happen when we take the ego out of it. How do we work productively with the state to advocate for the dollars that we need here for roads, for schools, for transit and for serving our most vulnerable populations? Issues like homelessness, issues like transit, these are not things that stop at the county line...let's remove this concept of us and them," she said.
"Alice is willing to work with state overrides," O'Connell retorted. "This is inviting further state overreach, this is not about defending Nashville's interests."
He suggested working with regional partners to recalibrate the state relationship, and to work with other big city mayors, expressing shared priorities in "appropriate places of partnership."
"I will go to the table that we sit around together to forge partnerships for the city as a Nashvillian," O'Connell said.
Another big topic of discussion was special session. It has stalled until Monday, but for Rolli and O'Connell it was the first question of the debate.
Are there specific bills you would like to see the legislature pass during this special session?
Rolli supports sending more money to get School Resource Officers in schools and make sure people store their guns safely.
"I also am very supportive of the additional mental health and SRO funding that came through— but like many responsible gun owners,
I am dismayed that we cannot yet find a way, if we are able to separate a child from their parent when the parent is are drug addicted or mentally ill, we should be able to find a reasonable way to temporarily separate an individual from their firearm if they are experiencing mental health or drug addiction of that level," Rolli said.
O'Connell took a similar stance, suggesting though that the whole session should be focused on gun safety alone.
"Allowing permitless carry, open carry, no storage requirements in vehicles, the allowances we've offered have meant that one of Nashville's worst epidemics is guns stolen from vehicles, and guns stolen from vehicles is very unlikely to be put toward lawful purposes later," O'Connell said.
He supports a risk protection order bill and a safe storage of guns in vehicles bills. He said he wants to see more being done from the legislature, and will take steps to do those things if elected mayor.
Both candidates talked about several topics including transit, the Titans stadium, fairgrounds, crime, schools and more. You can watch the full debate at the top of this article. Early voting starts Friday, August 25 and goes until September 9. The final election is on September 14.
