Franklin mayoral candidates spar over transportation, tourism, transparency in forum

Controversial Franklin mayoral candidate Gabrielle Hanson said Monday that she's running for mayor on a platform of transparency and family values as she sparred with incumbent Mayor Ken Moore during a forum at City Hall.

She said the mayor sets family values for the community

"Imagine a government that has accountability to you, the citizens. The city should represent your interest, your voice and uphold traditional values that have made Franklin one of the most desirable places in America to visit and call home," Hanson said in her opening statement, noting that the mayor should set the tone for the city.

Her opponent said he's been setting the tone for the past 12 years as mayor.

"The job as mayor is much more complex than running the meetings," Moore said. "It's supporting the nonprofits that are helping us as a city. My job is to be more of a PR person sometimes rather than being a mayor.

The candidates discussed a variety of topics during Monday's half-hour forum, two days before early voting begins for the Oct. 24 election.

The Franklin mayoral race has become increasingly controversial in recent months, largely due to Hanson's comments and views, which have included unfounded theories about the motive behind Nashville's Covenant School shooting, multiple ethics complaints filed against her by residents in response to an email she sent to Nashville International Airport criticizing a Juneteenth donation and her admission to being arrested on a promoting prostitution charge out of Dallas in the 1990s.

Franklin's future in regional transportation

Moore and Hanson could not be any different in their views than they were on public transportation Monday.

Hanson said she's opposed. Moore said he's in favor.

She said she wants to uphold the freedom of residents. He says growth in regional transportation makes sense with almost 70% of the city's workforce commuting to Williamson County for work while 70% of its residents leave Williamson County every day to commute to Davidson and surrounding counties for work.

Related: Why Franklin aldermen didn't act to censure mayoral candidate Gabrielle Hanson

"I don't want the public to hemorrhage financially because of transportation," Hanson said, adding that the city is responsible for building up roads to relieve traffic congestion and should do so.

Moore countered, saying many residents rely on public transportation.

"I guess you're going to stop the people that are going to medical appointments from having a ride. You're going to stop the people with disabilities from being able to get to work. You're going to stop people that are going from drug courts that are going to jobs that need to continue to recover," he responded.

Uniting people, discussing housing

Both candidates say they want to unite Franklin's diverse population.

For Hanson, it's about giving residents, new and old, a seat at the table.

"They have a chance for their voice to count. We really care about you, regardless of the color of your skin color," she said.

Moore said he believes he's already been bringing the growing city together with the creation of Unite Williamson, an organization that helps bring residents and their neighbors together to share contact information and get to know one another.

And the city has seen growth, with about 2,000 people per year moving to Franklin every year for the past 20 years, population data says. But, with growth comes challenges, and one of the most significant challenges, city leaders say, is in the area of affordable housing as home prices skyrocket and land values soar, making it difficult for people to afford to call Franklin home.

Both candidates say the key to housing lies in working with agencies like the Franklin Housing Authority and Habitat for Humanity. Smart planning is also key, they said.

How will Franklin attract more business?

Tourism is a big economic driver for Franklin, with more than $1.1 billion spent annually, Moore said, adding that 2023 is on track to surpass 2022 as more people are traveling to Franklin when they vacation in Nashville.

But Hanson believes Franklin is missing out on more tourism dollars and is hoping the city pushes for additional conference or convention center traffic to drive more.

The two disagreed on the city's work to attract businesses.

Citing news of the California-based In-and-Out Burger bringing a eastern headquarters hub and restaurants to the city, Moore said offering tax incentives for businesses is all about return on investment.

In lieu of about $250,000 in taxes, the burger company will make a $100,000 investment in Franklin and bring 300 high-paying jobs to the community, Moore said.

"To me, that's a good return on investment," he explained.

While Hanson did not disagree with tax incentives, she said Franklin's taxpayers should have a voice in the decision.

"Maybe you're thrilled to have a new corporation move here and give them a tax incentive, but maybe you wouldn't. Ultimately, it's your money and you need to know about it before we, as a voting body, make a decision with your money," Hanson said.

Moore noted that Hanson voted in favor of the In-and-Out Burger tax incentives.

Why it's Franklin's most important election

Moore said public officials have a responsibility to be transparent and he claimed Hanson had been otherwise, "using fear and falsehoods to distort my record," he said. "Franklin voters deserve better than this."

Hanson, meanwhile, said the Oct. 24 election is the most significant election since the Battle of Franklin in 1864.

"This is a battle for the heart and soul of this community, for our culture, for identity and for our future and for our children," Hanson said. "We can't afford another four years on the trajectory that we're currently on."

Early voting begins Wednesday and runs through Oct. 19.

Election day is Oct. 24.

Reach reporter Craig Shoup by email at cshoup@gannett.com and on X @Craig_Shoup. To support his work, sign up for a digital subscription to www.tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Gabrielle Hanson, Ken Moore spar at Franklin mayor forum