Three of the four candidates running for mayor of Columbus say Ohio needs gun control measures and that the public purchase of Nationwide Arena should have been put before voters. Those topics were part of the four candidates' final public appearance together yesterday at a debate sponsored by the Metropolitan Club at the Athletic Club of Columbus. The three Democrats and one Republican are competing in the nonpartisan primary on Tuesday.

Three of the four candidates running for mayor of Columbus say Ohio needs gun control measures and that the public purchase of Nationwide Arena should have been put before voters.



Those topics were part of the four candidates� final public appearance together yesterday at a debate sponsored by the Metropolitan Club at the Athletic Club of Columbus. The three Democrats and one Republican are competing in the nonpartisan primary on Tuesday.



The top two candidates, regardless of party, will advance to Nov. 3 general election.



Many in the crowd of a few hundred were big donors to some of the candidates, including lawyers, marketing and public relations consultants and political party leaders. They heard the candidates debate a topic new to the campaign: gun control.



Franklin County Sheriff Zach Scott, one of the three Democrats in the race, said he�s �for guns� four times in his one-minute answer. Scott added that he also advocates for proper training when using weapons.



�I�m definitely for guns,� he said.



That drew a silent �wow� from Columbus City Council President Andrew Ginther, who mouthed the word while Scott was speaking.



Ginther, also a Democrat, then pounced.



�I think it is reckless to be running for the office of the mayor of city of Columbus and to believe that there shouldn�t be any restrictions on semiautomatic and machine guns,� he said. �The last things our neighborhoods need is a proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in our neighborhoods.�



Ohio�s cities, and their mayors, have no control over guns. Ohio legislators years ago took away local rights to legislate gun contrrol after Columbus tried to pass gun restrictions.



James Ragland, a Democrat and community activist, said as a hunter he supports people having guns but said there is no need for the public to have �semiautomatic or automatic weapons designed for the military.�



Terry Boyd, a Franklin University professor and the lone Republican in the race, said he and his wife have had concealed-carry permits but don�t always carry guns.



�I am all for the right to have a gun if you go through the proper training and I advocate for that,� Boyd said. �I agree with gun control and people having guns.�



Ragland, Scott and Boyd agreed that the city and county�s purchase of Nationwide Arena three years ago should have been put before voters and not simply approved the City Council and county commissioners.



The arena hosts the Columbus Blue Jackets.



Scott and Ragland called the estimated $250 million deal, which includes upkeep of the arena through 2039, a �bailout� for its former owners, Nationwide Insurance.



Ginther, who voted for the purchase agreement on the council, said the arena deal brought and secured thousands of jobs for the city and has turned a once blighted area into a flourishing part of Downtown.



�We stepped up and did the right thing,� Ginther said.



Ragland said the purchase still should have been the public�s decision.



�If it�s that good of a deal then sell that to voters,� Ragland said. �That�s why you have this perception problem.�