JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville City Council President Kevin Carrico, a Republican, announced Tuesday that he had removed a fellow councilman from a council committee after he boycotted the first meeting.
Councilman Jimmy Peluso, a Democrat, announced he boycotted the meeting of the Transportation, Energy & Utilities Committee by not showing up because of what he called “inappropriate actions and poor council leadership.”
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“At a time when we should be banding together, our new leadership is finding ways to drive us apart,” Peluso said in a statement. “There is no leadership for women, and a super minority of democrats on key committees, for multiple years now. It’s time we banded together and stood up against leadership that continually looks to sideline important voices in the room.”
Peluso — who represents downtown Jacksonville, Springfield, Out East, Riverside, parts of Northwest Jacksonville, Ortega and Avondale — told News4JAX he only planned to boycott the first meeting and hoped the meeting would not have a quorum as a “demonstration.” Democrat council members Rahman Johnson and Tyrona Clark-Murray were also not present at the seven-member meeting.
“It just feels kind of petty,” Peluso said. “I was already only on one committee, which was, you know, part of my boycott, that’s well outside the norms of what we traditionally do here at city hall.”
Carrico, in a statement, said committee appointments are a privilege, not an entitlement.
“The decision to boycott the TEU Committee meeting signals an unwillingness to show up and do the work on behalf of your constituents,” he wrote. “It’s hard to argue for more responsibility by refusing to fulfill the responsibilities already entrusted in you.”
Jacksonville Young Republicans backed Carrico’s statements.
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Peluso said he will continue to serve and do his job with the hopes of making it back onto a committee where he can make a difference.
Peluso said Carrico has been “picking fights” since he was first sworn in as president in June.
“He could have solved this problem a long time ago, but instead he decided to play games,” Peluso said.
Carrico said he will ask other council members to fill in for upcoming meetings until a permanent member can be named.
The committee addresses issues involving roads and streets, JEA, JTA, JAA and other key groups.
The Duval County Democratic Party issued a statement about the matter, saying its members stand firmly with Peluso amid the boycott and stand “against the increasingly toxic leadership of City Council President Kevin Carrico.”
