Where Jax Mayoral and other candidates stand on the HRO issue

[Cheshire Cat]

Super article from the Times Union.  Below is an portion of the story.  Click the link under the quote for the full story.

  Bill Bishop, City of Jax Councilman

Alvin Brown, incumbent Mayor

Lenny Curry, fmr GOP chairman

But in Jacksonville, one issue remains the same: The city's Human Rights Ordinance.

The long-standing ordinance provides protection against discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations on the basis of "race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability and marital or familial status," but does not include "sexual orientation, gender identity or expression."

Controversy over the issue came to a head in 2012 when the Jacksonville City Council voted down – 17-2 and 10-9 – two versions of a measure to expand protections to the LGBT community.

Now, with city elections weeks away, the issue again builds momentum with both proponents and opponents calling for answers from the four mayoral candidates.

Advocates say not expanding the bill leaves the LGBT community vulnerable to losing jobs, housing or being denied service due to their sexuality. Those in the business community, including the JAX Chamber of Commerce, have voiced concerns that not passing such a bill makes the city appear unwelcoming to outside businesses and could stifle economic development.

Opponents argue expanding the laws would jeopardize religious freedom and subject small businesses to costly lawsuits.

All four mayoral contenders expressed opposition to discrimination, but none have gone so far as to embrace the bill's original language, which included "gender identity or expression."

The positions of the two candidates with the biggest campaign bank rolls on just how far anti-discrimination protections should go remain unclear.

WHERE THEY STAND

Incumbent Democratic Mayor Alvin Brown has not taken a clear position publicly on expanding the ordinance, drawing criticism for what some call a lack of leadership on the issue.

In the past, he said he is against discrimination when asked. But he did not respond to more than five email requests and a telephone call from the Times-Union for more details on his position.

Republican Lenny Curry stated in a written response that "oppression and discrimination are wrong," and that as mayor he would work together with others in the city to "solve any and all instances of discrimination or oppression."

"This includes people who have faced discrimination, small business owners and property owners concerned about litigation, as well as people of faith that value religious freedom," he said.

When asked if he thought it should be illegal in Jacksonville to discriminate against individuals on the basis of sexual orientation or if he would support a bill adding "sexual orientation, gender identity or expression" if it included an exemption for small businesses, Curry declined to give a direct answer.

"I prefer to face and address real challenges, not hypotheticals," he stated, adding he would "lead by bringing together local stakeholders, the people of Jacksonville, business owners, and faith leaders to ensure we continue to have a city that respects and celebrates our shared goals and our differences."

Republican challenger and Councilman Bill Bishop voted to support a version of the bill expanding protections to include "sexual orientation" when it went before City Council in 2012 and has since voiced support to reintroduce the ordinance. "I look at that as being in keeping with the principals of the founding of this country, which is that all people are created equal, and we should be long past the time when we're discriminating against people for who they are," he said.

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2015-02-24/story/human-rights-expansion-foes-backers-jacksonville-look-mayors-office-take