A.G. Gancarski
Last February, Jacksonville expanded its Human Rights Ordinance, giving protections to the LGBT community in the workplace, public accommodations, and housing markets.
This February 3rd at the Florida Yacht Club, Equality Florida will honor the three sponsors of the legislation: City Council VP Aaron Bowman and Councilman Jim Love (two Republicans), and Councilman Tommy Hazouri (a Democrat).
Unsurprisingly, Equality Florida gives itself credit for passage.
“After a nearly 10-year campaign, Jacksonville ended its reign as the only major city in Florida without an LGBT inclusive Human Rights Ordinance. In February 2017, we saw unprecedented leadership and investment in this battle by Equality Florida, the citizens of Jacksonville, and these three elected leaders – resulting in the updated HRO on Valentine’s Day.”
The citizens of Jacksonville — specifically stakeholders — had a lot of input. Bowman is the VP of a business development and recruitment wing of the JAX Chamber (Jax USA). Groups like the Jacksonville Civic Council were instrumental in leveraging support, as was Jaguars owner Shad Khan — a singularly influential figure who publicly urged passage and lobbied wobbly councilors behind the scenes.
And the passage of the HRO had a salutary effect: Jacksonville’s score of 67 on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index puts it on par with Miami, and represents a quantum leap from scores in the 20s a couple of years back.
But this level of protections is under attack.
Though the legislation moved through last February, a ballot challenge may be in the offing, via Christian conservative group Empower Jacksonville.
Empower Jacksonville, a political action committee, brought in $10,100 in November — pushing it to $31,430 raised and just over $23,000 on hand. (December numbers were not posted as of this writing on the morning of January 8).
Empower Jacksonville seeks to have two ballot items next August. The first: a referendum to change the city’s charter to allow citizens to challenge any law via referendum.
The second measure: a straw ballot on whether or not the HRO should be subject to a citizen referendum. The specific area of contention: the additions to the law this February, not the previously extant law.
The group is collecting petitions currently to get ballot access; as one would suspect, churches will be a primary collection point for the roughly 27,000 needed.
And in the context of petition collecting, the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality is pushing back.
The group urges people to “decline to sign,” and then “to note where you saw the petitioner and what was going on and then send a quick e-mail” to the JCE.
As well, JCE asserts that petitions may be collected extralegally (on property that they have no right to be collecting petitions on, including private property that is not their own, and government properties.
Ultimately, the Empower Jacksonville group will seek to put LGBT rights up for referendum; in Houston, where similar legislation was passed, a ballot challenge was successful.
Could a similar fate strike Jacksonville in the end?
2 comments
Seber Newsome III
January 8, 2018 at 10:18 am
Let the people vote!!!! What is wrong with this idea? Why are politicians so afraid of letting the registered voters of Jacksonville vote on how they feel about an issue? It is puzzling? Is it because, like City Council President Anna Lopez Brosche said about the Confederate Monuments. “I dont want the majority to decide for the minority”. I called her out on this at the city council meeting, saying this makes no sense at all. With her statement, does she mean, let the minority decide for the majority?? As with this issue over LBGT rights, let the people vote. Personally, I dont want a man who thinks he is a woman to enter the bathroom where a young girl is, do you??
DA2018
January 8, 2018 at 12:26 pm
That is correct! Many who have signed or are behind the Petition have done so because of the monies that keep pouring in for outside lgbtq…etc agendas. BUT, the fact is, this is NOT about the HRO. Why? Because, many more want the same progressive rights that cities like Tampa and Miami have.
What right? The right to be able to overturn any bad laws that our city council and/or local gov’t may pass without the approval of the city of Jacksonville. This is the right to repeal ANY law that is currently blocked as “one” of a current city councilman has vocally voiced. The citizens of Jacksonville should be able to keep the city gov’t accountable.
Why?
Because Jacksonville does NOT belong the the elite anymore.
What reason would they have NOT to allow bad laws to be challenged? Monies coming in?…promises made if they vote a certain way. Does it matter? NO… Does party matter? NO… Republican, Democrat, Independent, or all others should have the checks and balances and NOT railroad the “people” who only get to vote them out “after the fact”. But are unable to change bad laws. Red light cameras, Tolls…and the list goes on and on.
Having the ability as other “progressive” cities do, to overturn something is a best practice for a government to be accountable to the people of Jacksonville, FL. Taxes, zoning, term limits, city safety for its citizens? All citizens of Jacksonville should get behind this. EmpowerJacksonville.org call and go to a signing location.
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