JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan addressed recent controversies during her appearance on This Week In Jacksonville, including criticism over a hologram display at Jacksonville International Airport and tensions with Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier regarding a gun registry probe at City Hall.
On the airport hologram, Deegan defended the $60,000 investment as a pilot project with a local woman-owned company.
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“It was always meant to be a pilot project,” she said. “We felt it had become a lightning rod, a political, hyper-partisan lightning rod.”
The city removed the hologram after the contract ended, but plans to repurpose the technology for other community uses, such as literacy programs and public works presentations.
Regarding the gun registry probe, Deegan described the issue as politicized. She referenced an eight-month investigation by State Attorney Melissa Nelson, which aligned with the city’s findings. “Melissa Nelson spent eight months fully investigating this,” Deegan said.
Deegan explained the registry was created by “one employee who is in charge of security, [who] was unaware of the law that was passed saying that you couldn’t have a gun registry.” The city ended the practice as soon as it was discovered.
She expressed hope for cooperation moving forward, quoting Councilman Matt Carlucci: “It would be nice if we could address the major problems that we all have in common... and to have a partner in Tallahassee for that instead of somebody who seems to want to always throw flames.”
To watch our full interview with Mayor Deegan and our conversation with Florida Senator Tom Leek on the ‘AI Bill of Rights’ being considered in the Florida Legislature and the Black History Museum being proposed in St. Johns County, tune in to This Week In Jacksonville.