Jacksonville City Council member Raul Arias has stepped down as chair of the Council Finance Committee and has been replaced by Council member Joe Carlucci.
On Nov. 21, Council President Kevin Carrico issued a memo to Council members saying he had accepted a request by Arias to step down as chair and had appointed Carlucci to succeed him. In the memo, Carrico said he selected Carlucci to “ensure continuity and keep our budget and legislative work on track.”
Arias will continue serving as the District 11 representative to Council. Carlucci, who serves Council District 5, also chairs the Council Land Use and Zoning Committee.
The move came after reporting by Action News Jax that raised questions about potential ethics issues inside City Hall, including that Arias’ family, which owns Mambos Cuban Cafe, was paid $35,000 to work at Carrico’s installation ceremony after Carrico was chosen as Council president.
Action News Jax also raised questions about his handling of a proposed $100,000 crime-prevention grant.
In a statement to Action News Jax, Arias said he yielded leadership of the Finance Committee to serve his district.
“After a long and productive budget season that delivered meaningful property tax relief for our homeowners, I’ve shifted my focus back to the district,” the statement read. “I’ve identified several neighborhoods that need immediate attention, from road improvements and traffic calming to street lighting and other safety measures.”
Arias was elected to Council in 2023. As Finance Committee chair, he advocated for a millage rate reduction in the city’s 2025-26 budget.
On Sept. 24, he was in the majority on a 10-9 vote in which Council reduced the millage rate by one-eighth of a mill. The rate reduction required a cut of about $13 million in spending from Mayor Donna Deegan’s proposed $2.2 billion budget.
Arias will continue to chair the Special Committee on the Community Benefits Agreement 2.0 and serve on the Finance Committee, the Land Use and Zoning Committee, the Special Committee on the Future of Downtown and the Special Committee on Duval DOGE.