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FCC Recap: Mayoral Candidate Lenny Curry

Republican Party of Florida

Jacksonville mayoral candidate Lenny Curry took calls from listeners to WJCT’s "First Coast Connect" Tuesday.

Curry addressed questions about topics including education, crime and arts-and-culture funding — but one question remains unanswered.

On education, Curry says he’s in favor of stipends for teachers who lead after-school activities, and he’d like to see a boost for voluntary Pre-K programs.

Asked how he’d lower the city’s violent crime rate, Curry talked about hiring more police officers and encouraging them to get to know the communities they patrol better.

He also says he’s a strong supporter of the arts and was a former board member of the Jacksonville Symphony.

But on whether he’d support an expanded human rights ordinance to protect gay and transgendered people, his answer was less direct.

"I don’t believe that the people of Jacksonville discriminate," Curry said.

"So it's not needed then? A change isn't needed?" asked guest host, WJCT News Director Jessica Palombo.

Curry repeated, "I don’t believe that the people of Jacksonville discriminate."

He added, if he finds out discrimination does exist, he would lead a public conversation and come up with "a Jacksonville solution to a Jacksonville problem." He did not specify what that might entail.

Listen to the podcast to hear the entire interview with Lenny Curry on "First Coast Connect," and tune in to 89.9 to hear interviews with the three other mayoral candidates this Wednesday and Thursday and next Monday. 

Election Day is Tuesday.

Jessica Palombo supervises local news gathering and production, podcasts and web editorial content for WJCT News, ADAPT and Jacksonville Today. She is an award-winning writer and journalist with bylines including NPR, Experience Magazine, and The Gainesville Sun. She has a master’s degree in broadcast and digital journalism from Syracuse University and is an alumna of the University of Florida. A nearly lifelong resident of Jacksonville, she considers herself lucky to be raising her own children in her hometown. Follow Jessica Palombo on Twitter: @JaxJessicaP