Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiDecember 17, 2015

In a statement on Wednesday evening, the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality said it was “dismayed” by Bill Gulliford‘s proposed referendum on the HRO (Human Rights Ordinance) expansion. Using rhetoric similar to that employed by former GOP Councilman Jack Webb at Tuesday’s Community Conversation, the JCE wrote that “we can strike a balance between protecting gay and transgender […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 10, 2015

On Wednesday evening, former Jacksonville mayoral candidate and current Jax Chamber Chairwoman-elect Audrey Moran, at Intuition Ale Works in North Riverside, made the case for expansion of the Human Rights Ordinance. Moran, who has been unstinting in this case for years, spoke at a Jacksonville Coalition for Equality “Happy Hour” event, opening her remarks with […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 3, 2015

This week a Dallas-based website launched a purported attempt to crowdfund 10 votes in favor of expansion of Jacksonville’s Human Rights Ordinance. On Wednesday afternoon, the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality released a statement condemning “in the strongest terms possible any unethical or illegal attempt to influence the outcome” of the HRO vote. Coalition Legislative Director […]

Melissa RossNovember 24, 2015

In the wake of bomb threats and racist KKK flyers being distributed around town, the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality is sending a message of unity and strength as the city continues its “community conversations” on whether to expand the local human rights ordinance to cover LGBT residents. In an email to supporters and media outlets, […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 22, 2015

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The Ku Klux Klan, arguably the first domestic terror group, has weighed in on Jacksonville’s community conversations on HRO expansion. Weighed in literally, according to reports, putting flyers from “the Loyal White Knights of the KKK” in bags and throwing them, mixed in with rice, in people’s yards. This is on the heels of a bomb threat just […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 11, 2015

As the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality continues its push toward an expansion of the Human Rights Ordinance, one component to the group’s strategy is marshalling the support of faith leaders. On Tuesday, the JCE brought together more than 50 of them to discuss updating the HRO to include sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 5, 2015

Arguably the most monumental election of Tuesday night, for those in Northeast Florida, wasn’t the St. Johns County Sales Tax referendum, but half a continent away: Houston voters rejected their city’s equal rights ordinance. The margin wasn’t close: 61 to 39 percent. The issue had been into a so-called “bathroom ordinance,” with opponents somehow reducing […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 30, 2015

As the saying goes, “promises made; promises kept.” On Friday, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry announced three long-promised “community conversations” on the need for expanding the city’s Human Rights Ordinance to LGBT citizens. Reaction from activists was positive. “We’re pleased to see Mayor Curry keep his campaign promise to lead a series of community conversations about discrimination. […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 21, 2015

One of the more positive developments, in terms of the revived effort to expand the Jacksonville Human Rights Ordinance to LGBT members of the community, was the enlistment of Southern Strategy Group to lobby for the effort. As I wrote in my column for Folio Weekly, now on racks throughout Northeast Florida: I like a […]

Melissa RossOctober 20, 2015

In an email to supporters and media outlets, the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality reminds stakeholders that “10 is the magic number.” And the message goes on to name-check this website in its campaign to press Jacksonville City Council members to update the city’s human rights ordinance to cover LGBT citizens. “It will take the votes […]

Tag: Jacksonville Coalition for Equality
Elizabeth Martinez Strauss. Image via campaign.

Jax Coalition for Equality: “dismayed” by HRO referendum

Audrey Moran issues Jax HRO “call to action”

Jacksonville Coalition for Equality condemns Dallas website HRO vote-buying scheme

Email insights: Jax Coalition for Equality “united against threats and fear”

The KKK flyers and the Jax HRO

Jacksonville Coalition for Equality trumpets faith leader support

Despite fall of Houston HERO, “fully inclusive” Jax HRO push is full steam ahead

Lenny Curry announces Jax HRO “community conversations”

Southern Strategy Group no longer lobbying for Jax HRO

Email insights: Jax Coalition for Equality says bipartisan HRO support “is growing”