Dear John,

I don’t like saying it, but I suspect this is our last chance to save this city.

The self-inflicted problems destroying great cities like Chicago, L.A., and San Francisco – too much debt, too little public safety, and too few successful schools – now jeopardize everything we hold dear about our beloved Nashville.

In 2015 we waged a spirited mayoral campaign to get out ahead of these huge, emerging problems. I came up short against Megan Barry, when the prevailing opinion of voters had been that Nashville was on the “Right Track.” 

Sadly, after three mayors in five years, violent crime has crept into all our neighborhoods, with the Metro Nashville Police Department absurdly understaffed. Our public schools are failing to get more than three out of 10 third graders to reading proficiency. And Nashville now carries more debt than the rest of Tennessee combined! Interest on the debt has exploded into the largest municipal expense line item after K-12 education.

Nashville voters now emphatically believe that Metro Government and our city are on the “Wrong Track,” according to a recent Vanderbilt poll. And tellingly, every year since 2016 more U.S. citizens have moved out of Nashville than have moved in, though you wouldn’t know it from the local media.

Today, 13 candidates have filed to run for the responsibility that our sitting mayor is surrendering. You’re mostly being offered Megan Barry 2.0.

And then there’s Alice Rolli. 

When Alice approached me about running for Nashville mayor, I told her I wanted to be her treasurer. She is a Nashville native, a product of Hume-Fogg, Stanford University, and the UVA Darden School of Business. 

Alice has worked in Governor Bill Haslam’s administration in Economic Development and for U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander. She’s managed the meteoric growth for several private companies - and has the support of her former investors and business partners. 

Alice has taken the hint from my neighbor, now-retired Comptroller Justin Wilson, about viable ways to repair Metro government’s fragile fiscal condition. Justin appeared before Metro Council a few years ago to warn them personally, in his inimitable style, about dire consequences if they and the Mayor failed to correct course. In response, they just jacked up our tax rates an unforgivable 34% and otherwise kicked the can down the road, with new potholes.

Alice won’t raise taxes. She’ll find enough existing revenue to add the police officers we need to slash violent crime, while putting a lid on our public debt. As a former MNPS board chairman, I can say confidently Alice is the only mayoral candidate who stands a chance of actually improving public schools. 

I’m writing you to request your immediate financial support, advocacy, and vote for “Alice Rolli for Mayor of Nashville.”

I’m proud to serve as her treasurer. We are very lucky to have one last chance to steer Nashville back onto the “Right Track.”

You can make a contribution here - or send a check to "Alice Rolli for Nashville" and mail to P.O. Box 90633, Nashville 37209. 

Please let me hear from you. Early voting begins in 25 days! 

It’s now or never.

With appreciation,

David A. Fox