Education, growth, sober living dominate District 78 candidate forum

School funding, growth and sober living facilities emerged as three of the biggest issues facing Tennessee House District 78 during a June 22 candidate forum hosted by the Kingston Springs Gazette in partnership with the Dickson County Times.

Republicans John Louallen and Perry Keenan and Democrat Dr. Aniya Farmer answered questions from moderator Justin Spurlock ahead of the Aug. 6 Republican primary. Farmer is unopposed in the Democratic primary. The winner will succeed longtime Rep. Mary Littleton, who is retiring after serving District 78 since 2012.

School funding and school choice

Candidates were asked where they stand as Tennessee continues debating public school funding and school choice.

Farmer, an educator, said parents should have a voice in their children's education but argued public dollars should first support public schools.

"I believe that parents should have a voice in their child's education, but I don't believe we can use public dollars to weaken the public schools," Farmer said. "Public schools serve every child."

She said her priority would be to "fully fund public schools first."

Keenan said public schools must remain fully funded regardless of where lawmakers stand on Tennessee's Education Freedom Scholarship Program.

"The law is currently on the books now," Keenan said. "What are we going to do to maintain it? What are we going to do to make sure that it's run efficiently?"

He called for greater transparency in how scholarship dollars are spent and said he would like to see local schools improve beyond average rankings while also placing greater emphasis on career and technical education.

"Not everybody's geared to go to college," he said.

Louallen said he supports parental involvement and school choice but opposes using taxpayer money to pay for private education.

"What I'm not okay with is our taxpayer dollars being used for choice to send that child to private school," Louallen said.

He also criticized what he described as a lack of transparency in tracking scholarship funding.

"We have hundreds of millions of dollars that are going out the door, and we don't know where the money is going," he said.

Managing growth

Candidates also discussed how rapidly growing communities can preserve their rural character.

Keenan pointed to his experience as Pleasant View mayor, where balancing development with community concerns was a constant challenge. He said state leaders should support local governments by strengthening planning commissions and local zoning authority.

"I think striking that balance is key," Keenan said.

Louallen said communities must be proactive rather than reactive when planning for growth.

"We need to be proactive, see what's coming, because growth is coming," he said. "It's coming to Cheatham County, it's coming to Dickson County."

He said residents should remain involved in zoning decisions and hold elected officials accountable.

Farmer agreed that growth is inevitable but said it must be accompanied by careful planning.

"Growth without planning becomes a burden," she said.

Farmer said she would support policies that help communities plan infrastructure, protect farmland and ensure local residents have input before major development decisions are made.

Sober living facilities

The forum's most-submitted audience question focused on regulation of sober living homes.

Louallen said it was the issue he heard about most while campaigning in Dickson County. While emphasizing that people deserve access to treatment, he argued local governments need greater authority over sober living facilities.

"Everybody is entitled to treatment," Louallen said, "but things are going unchecked."

He said state legislation should give local officials more ability to enforce zoning and planning regulations and noted he has drafted legislation addressing inmates on furlough housed in sober living facilities.

Farmer said she supports recovery programs but believes facilities should operate under strong oversight.

"I believe people deserve the opportunity to rebuild their lives," Farmer said. "But I also believe sober living facilities must be safe, ethical and accountable."

She said she supports statewide standards for safety, transparency, referrals and accountability.

Keenan said local officials are limited by federal protections under the Fair Housing Act and Americans with Disabilities Act, making additional state and federal cooperation necessary.

"Doing nothing is not an option," Keenan said.

He said he would work with federal lawmakers while encouraging sober living operators to hold themselves accountable. Keenan also pointed to Cheatham County as an example where sober living homes "do a phenomenal job."

Early voting for the Aug. 6 primary begins July 17. The general election will be held Nov. 3.

You can watch the entire one-hour forum here. 

The Kingston Springs Gazette will publish a special election edition on July 13 featuring in-depth interviews with candidates running for Tennessee House District 78, as well as local races across South Cheatham County.