Here’s what former Mayor Lenny Curry says about millage cut

[outis]

Former Mayor Lenny Curry: Jacksonville can cut taxes and still keep core services strong

Lenny CurryGuest columnist

In my final year as Jacksonville's mayor, we cut the millage rate. It wasn't easy. We made hard choices, found savings in the budget and still kept our commitment to public safety and other essential services.

That same kind of disciplined, taxpayer-first approach is exactly what the city needs now. I'm proud to see that the Jacksonville City Council, including President Kevin Carrico and members of the Finance Committee, are working to deliver today, and I applaud them for it.

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/opinion/columns/guest/2025/08/22/former-jacksonville-mayor-lenny-curry-chimes-in-about-tax-cuts-opinion/85722270007/#

what a liar this guy is, none of this is true. Lenny raised taxes 3 times: pension sales tax hike, gas tax and school tax, plus he got hundreds of millions in COVID dollars from Biden. He still stripped pensions from the firefighters and cops and he still couldn't maintain basic services.

City temporarily suspends curbside recycling in Jacksonville
For those who wish to recycle, there are 15 drop-off sites across the city.

October 13, 2021 at 4:11 p.m. UTC
By Aurielle Eady
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mayor Lenny Curry addressed the ongoing issue about missed trash collections in Jacksonville during a news conference.

The city has received several calls and emails in the past few months from residents across the area upset about missed or delayed waste collection and their taxpayer dollars that are being spent. Curry expressed he understands the frustration.

https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/duval-county/jacksonville-mayor-make-major-announcement-regarding-waste-collection/3OE5ME2Z4NB6FNCIT2VVPS6IXE/?outputType=amp

[Lunican]

I do remember the trash problems...


Mayor Lenny Curry of Jacksonville announced a suspension of curbside recycling so that sanitation crews and private contractors would have time to clear the city's backlog of trash and yard waste.  Credit...Malcolm Jackson for The New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/24/us/garbage-delays-labor-jacksonville-florida.html

[jaxlongtimer]

I posted (on another thread about the City Council antics) that Curry recently admitted on the radio that he is talking with Carrico at least once a week.  I take from that, that he is likely talking to/coordinating with others in the "GOP Gang" on the Council in the same manner.  As such, he is perpetuating the machine he ran while mayor.  Nasty politics is alive and well in his circles, citizens' interests be damned.

[thelakelander]

I remember downtown being a hot mess. Unfortunately, those eight years may have been the worst ever during the decades of downtown revitalization talk, considering the economy at its height.

[jaxlongtimer]

I remember downtown being a hot mess. Unfortunately, those eight years may have been the worst ever during the decades of downtown revitalization talk, considering the economy at its height.

Curry is probably big time jealous of what is getting done under Deegan that he couldn't pull off.  She has the stadium, 4 seasons, Gateway, riverfront parks, Emerald Trail, 2-way streets, police and fire hiring and pension, Cecil, etc. all moving forward (despite a negative-nanny majority city council, less-than-supportive sheriff and interfering governor) under her administration while he just made light, no heat.  Even U2C, although that one is not going to stand the test of time.

[Tacachale]

Not going to say too much on this at present, but it's baffling that Curry thought it was a good idea to insert himself and his record into this discussion. More sad than anything.

[jcjohnpaint]

And it is obvious that Curry is getting directives from DeSantis. They know this city is turning blue and will do everything to stop it.

[tufsu1]

I remember downtown being a hot mess. Unfortunately, those eight years may have been the worst ever during the decades of downtown revitalization talk, considering the economy at its height.

he did promise that we wouldn't recognize downtown when he was done

[thelakelander]

That is true. When Jax hosted the last APA conference, out of town conference visitors could not understand why there were so many vacant lots on the Northbank waterfront. Told them the administration promised to change the DT skyline. They were successful. They blew it up. We've come a long way since those dark days. No reason to go back to them.

[jaxoNOLE]

And it is obvious that Curry is getting directives from DeSantis. They know this city is turning blue and will do everything to stop it.

If this is their playbook to stop the city turning blue, they are absolutely blowing it. The city is drifting left-of-center, so we pander to the hard-right GOP primary voter crowd? Meanwhile, as a typically Republican voter myself, I see none of my values or priorities reflected in these antics.

Deegan gets it. She's persistently acted as a Mayor first, not a Democrat. In saner times, any Republican would proudly embrace for themselves her list of accomplishments as mayor: downtown development, police and fire pensions, a stadium deal that secures millions in private investment, and expanded services without a millage increase.

Maybe at a personal level she wishes she could be a radical progressive Mayor, maybe not. Who cares. Her actions speak for themselves, as do those of the Curry/Carrico/Salem camp, and that contrast does not equate to Duval lurching back to the right anytime soon.