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TONIGHT AS WE CONTINUE OUR COMMITMENT. COVERAGE OF THE UPCOMING TUSCALOOSA MAYORAL ELECTION. SO THE VOTING BEGINS IN JUST FIVE DAYS FROM NOW. �������� 13. SHERI FALK SPOKE WITH BOTH CANDIDATES THIS WEEK ON HOW THEY WOULD ADDRESS SOME OF THE TOP PRESSING ISSUES IN THE CITY. IF YOU LIVE IN TUSCALOOSA NEXT TUESDAY, YOU’LL HEAD TO THE POLLS TO PICK THE CITY’S MAYOR. AND TONIGHT, WE CONTINUE OUR LOOK AT THE CANDIDATES AND HOW THEY PLAN TO ADDRESS THE PRESSING ISSUES FOR THE CITY OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. DÉFENSE AND FERRELL, FIRST TIME POLITICAL CANDIDATE, FORMER POLICE OFFICER, EDUCATOR AND MARINE RESERVIST WHO NOW RUNS A MINISTRY CALLED EVERYBODY MUST EAT. AND INCUMBENT WALT MADDOX, WHO IS RUNNING FOR A SIXTH TERM AS THE CITY’S MAYOR. I ASKED EACH CANDIDATE HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT SCHOOL CHOICE INITIATIVES IN THE STATE AND HOW THEY WOULD WORK WITH THE TUSCALOOSA BOARD OF EDUCATION TO IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES. FIRST UP, DENSON FERRELL. HE SUPPORTS SCHOOL CHOICE AND TELLS ME THAT HE BELIEVES PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE FAILING STUDENTS AND NEED COMPETITION TO IMPROVE. I THINK THAT’S A GREAT OPTION BECAUSE A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE GO ON IN A IN A PUBLIC SETTING, YOU KNOW, AND AND I’M FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION. I AND BUT IF THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO CHANGE WHAT THEY’RE DOING BECAUSE IT’S NOT BENEFITING THE CITY, IT’S NOT BEEN BENEFITING THE CITY AT ALL. WHEN YOU CONTINUE TO DO THE SAME THINGS AND GET THE SAME RESULTS. FERRELL WOULD LIKE TO SEE STRICTER ENFORCEMENT OF RULES IN SCHOOLS TO CREATE A MORE STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT. HE SAYS THE CURRENT SYSTEM ALLOWS STUDENTS TO PASS WITHOUT PUTTING IN A REAL EFFORT, LEADING TO UNPREPARED GRADUATES WHO STRUGGLE IN LIFE. I GUARANTEE YOU, IF THEY DID A STUDY ON WHAT HAPPENS TO KIDS AFTER THEY LEAVE SCHOOL HERE IN TUSCALOOSA, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE A LARGE POPULATION OF KIDS THAT END UP GOING TO JAIL OR END UP DECEASED BEFORE THEY TURN 25. BECAUSE THEY THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE DISCIPLINE NOR THE EDUCATION THAT THEY NEED. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO DO IS TO CORRECT YOUR DISCIPLINE, CORRECT THE DISCIPLINE. IF YOU CORRECT. IF YOU CORRECT YOUR DISCIPLINE, YOU CAN GET EVERYTHING ELSE TO FALL IN LINE. MAYOR MADDOX HAS CONCERNS ABOUT SCHOOL CHOICE INITIATIVES, DIVERTING MONEY FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS. NOT CERTAIN HOW THAT OUTCOME IN THE END CAN BE POSITIVE. WHAT CAN WE DO HERE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL? BECAUSE WE’RE NOT THE ALABAMA LEGISLATURE? WELL, TO DATE, WE’RE GIVING 7.5 MILLION A YEAR TO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IN DISCRETIONARY MONEY. THAT’S THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA OF ANY CITY IN ALABAMA. PART OF THAT 7.5 MILLION IS NEARLY UNIVERSAL. PRE-K SUMMER LEARNING PROGRAMS, DUAL ENROLLMENT SCHOLARSHIPS. SO 10TH, 11TH, AND 12TH GRADERS ARE GETTING 12 HOURS OF FREE COLLEGE CREDIT AT EITHER STILLMAN UNIVERSITY OR SHELTON STATE. MAYOR MADDOX ALSO TOUTED THE UPCOMING SABAN CENTER, A $100 MILLION STEM EDUCATION CENTER, WHILE ALSO RECOGNIZING THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL HAVE TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS AFTER VOTERS SAID NO TO THE RECENT TAX INITIATIVE. IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT WE STOP. I THINK IT MEANS WE FIND INNOVATIVE WAYS. AND ULTIMATELY, I’VE ENCOURAGED THE SCHOOL BOARD IS HEAR WHAT THE VOTERS SAID AND DETERMINE A PATHWAY TO MEET THOSE CONCERNS THAT WERE VOICED, AND THEN GO BACK AGAIN. IT BARELY FAILED, BUT WE’RE HAVING VERY GOOD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD ABOUT OTHER POSSIBILITIES THAT EXIST OUT THERE, SUCH AS ALABAMA’S INTERNET TAX TAKES ALMOST $5 MILLION A YEAR AWAY FROM OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, TAKES OVER $14 MILLION AWAY FROM THE CITY OF TUSCALOOSA. SO FIXING ALABAMA’S INTERNET TAX, CALLED SUHUT, IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ON IN THE COMING TERM. TOMORROW, I’LL SHARE MORE OF MY CONVERSATION WITH EACH CANDIDATE ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THEIR VISION FOR THE CITY IN THE COMING YEARS. STAY WITH �������� 13 COMMITMENT COVERAGE ON AIR AND ONLINE AS WE TAKE YOU ALL THE WAY TO NEX