Jacksonville HRO battle attracts voices from out of town

Jacksonville’s battle over whether to expand its Human Rights Ordinance to cover the LGBT community is putting the city in the national spotlight and attracting out-of-town interests.

Council members and members of the community on both sides of this issue expressed their concerns in city hall Thursday night about outside influences.

"We can lose everything," said Baronelle Stutzman before city council Thursday night.

It was an emotional plea from the florist, who declined to supply flowers for a gay couple's wedding.

"Now the government is trying to force me to create expressions that violate my religious beliefs and all because of the law like the one you're considering," said Stutzman.

She's not from Jacksonville; she's in town from Washington along with several other groups from out of town.

"I would like us to have a Jacksonville solution for this Jacksonville problem," said Jacksonville Coalition for Equality chair Dan Merkan. "I don't think it really makes sense to be importing people here to tell us about their problems when we haven't figured out how to solve our own problems."

Council Vice President Lori Boyer is also worried about outside influences.

"I am concerned that we as a city become a chess board for players from outside our city," said Boyer.

She wanted to withdraw both HRO expansion bills Thursday night.

One would require council to make the big decision and the other would let Jacksonville voters decide.

That didn't fly.

Despite Mayor Lenny Curry, council president Greg Anderson and Boyer wanting to press pause, the council decided to move forward with a vote.

Council will have two more meetings of discussion and public comment.

The next one is Feb. 18 from 3-6 p.m.

Council won't actually vote on the two bills until March 3.

Cox Media Group