Jax City Council sees familiar faces in leadership roles, with Dems shut out of Chairs

Jacksonville City Hall.

Committee assignments have been confirmed by the Jacksonville City Council for the next year, and people in leadership now will remain favored under the leadership of President Randy White, albeit in different roles than the year that just wrapped up.

And as a potential counterweight to Democratic Mayor Donna Deegan, Republicans will lead all standing committees, and will be numerically superior on all but one panel.

The pivotal Finance Committee will see outgoing President Ron Salem helming a panel that will include six Republicans and one Democrat, Ju’Coby Pittman.

Terrance Freeman, a previous President of the legislative body, will be Vice Chair. Raul Arias, Rory Diamond, Nick Howland and Will Lahnen will round out that roster.

The Rules Committee, chaired by Howland, likewise sees a 6-1 party split, with Rahman Johnson as the outlier Democrat.

Freeman will be Vice Chair for this panel as well, and the other members are Matt Carlucci, Michael Boylan, Mike Gay and Chris Miller.

Council Vice President Kevin Carrico will chair the Land Use and Zoning committee, meanwhile, with Arias as Vice Chair.

The committee has a 5-2 split in favor of the GOP, with Ken Amaro, Joe Carlucci and Diamond empaneled, along with Democrats Reggie Gaffney Jr. and Johnson.

Joe Carlucci will chair the Neighborhoods, Community Services, Public Health & Safety committee, yet another panel with a 5-2 split in favor of the GOP.

Miller will serve as Vice Chair, meanwhile, with Amaro, Boylan and Salem representing the Republican contingent, and Jimmy Peluso and Tyrona Clark-Murray from the opposition party.

Transportation, Energy & Utilities has the most favorable composition for Democrats, with four of them on the panel: Clark-Murray, Gaffney and Peluso, along with Vice Chair Pittman.

Lahnen will chair the committee, while Matt Carlucci and Gay round out the roster.