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After 42 years as a First Coast News reporter, Amaro will serve as the next District 1 council member. He says he’s focused on crime and infrastructure.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — For decades, if you had a problem, you told Ken.
“I used to say that I didn’t have any police authority, all I had was a microphone and a TV camera to get things done, so it does feel kind of weird,” Amaro said.
After 42 years as a reporter at First Coast News, Amaro is heading to city hall and will represent his home, District 1.
Amaro, a Republican, won District 1 this handily earning 66 percent of the votes beating democrat Alton McGriff Jr.
“When I moved here in 1975 it was the classic suburban community streets were super clean, I jokingly said it was the neighborhood where you had 2.2 kids and a station wagon,” Amaro said.
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50 years later, Arlington is a far cry from classic suburbia.
“I live on Fort Caroline Road and there always seems to be incidents along Merrill and folks are always concerned about what’s next,” Amaro said.
“I did not get into it for the politics, I got into it for the potholes, for policy. Trying to improve quality of life for my district.”
Amaro says crime and infrastructure are two items he’ll focus on and says improvements along University Boulevard, a focal point of District 1, is in the works.
“JU, at the extent, is one of the partners in making sure that this from the bridge all the way to university park has a new look has an inviting look and I think it’s going to take place over the next few years. Unfortunately, I can’t give you a specific timeline right now, but it is in the works, and it will be transformed,” Amaro said.
Amaro will be sworn in this summer. District 1 incumbent, Joyce Morgan, termed out and is heading to a runoff against Jason Fischer for Jacksonville property appraiser.
