Jacksonville budget passes without controversial ban on funding abortion, illegal immigrants, and DEI

Over the years, many budget votes in Jacksonville^[1] proceeded without real controversy.

2025 broke the mold, with myriad floor amendments to the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget proposed by Mayor Donna Deegan^[2].

The final 15-2 vote suggested a consensus that was hard won and didn’t reflect the drama of the 13 hour meeting.

And the most controversial proposal almost made it into the budget despite heated objections: Republican Rory Diamond^[3] looking to axe money for “illegal aliens,” Diversity Equity and Inclusion, “affinity boards and commissions,” and “abortion and abortion-related services.”

“This is a disgusting amendment … a travesty,” said Jimmy Peluso, a Democrat from the Urban Core.

Democrat Rahman Johnson said he wouldn’t back the budget if this “big batch of bull” is attached.

“It is unacceptable,” said Democrat Ju’Coby Pittman.

Republican Ken Amaro said Diamond’s proposal didn’t “belong in the budget.”

Finance Chair Raul Arias said he was “not a dictatorship” and couldn’t stop Diamond from filing the amendment, which he subsequently voted for as it was approved 10-9, creating one of the most epic logjams in the history of consolidated government.

“A minority will now try to drive the City into a ditch and stop our ability to pass out the budget at all. Insanity,” Diamond predicted after his amendment was adopted.

That prediction was on point, as opponents of his language held the line until it was stripped and the minority became a majority after hours of trench warfare.

With two recusals from Terrance Freeman and Mike Gay and the need for 10 votes, the math for the budget proved more challenging than any amendment itself, with Amaro, Johnson, Carlucci, Peluso, Pittman, and others saying the Diamond amendment was a “poison pill” laced with “divisive rhetoric” from a “bully.”

People who supported the language saw the writing on the wall when Diamond could not.

VP Nick Howland urged Diamond to reconsider taking his amendment out of the budget, but the Beaches Republican wouldn’t.

Floor leader Will Lahnen asked Diamond to amend his amendment. Diamond objected, saying it was a “ransom” attempt.

Joe Carlucci, who backed the Diamond amendment, motioned for reconsideration.

But no one was budging.

“We’re at an impasse,” said Terrance Freeman, who had to recuse on the budget but expressed interest in seeing his son when he woke up as 3 A.M. approached.

Freeman was informed that no prolonged recess was possible and a budget had to be passed during this meeting.

An eventual reconsideration of the Diamond language saw the vote fail 9-10 after Peluso called the question, but with some confusion about whether the vote was on the amendment or to call the question, a second vote flipped the outcome.

“It’s back in the budget. We’re going to take a 10 minute recess,” Carrico said.

After the recess, Carrico appealed to OGC for a “carve out” allowing the two recusals to vote. He was rebuffed, and then yet another motion to reconsider was approved at 3:45 a.m.

Lahnen asked the Diamond amendment opponents if they would commit to back the budget without the language, and Ken Amaro broke the logjam.

“I’m prepared to move on the budget. I’m not going to vote on it if that language is in there,” the Arlington Republican said.

Other amendments were less controversial, including a measure to rightsize the budget.

An amendment from Arias to balance the budget after a millage cut took $13,478,133 from the Budget Stabilization Contingency account, $187,111 from the Subsidies and Contributions to Other Government account within the Jax Beach Tax Increment District, and $327,550 from the Unallocated Plan Authorized Expenditure account in the applicable Tax Increment Districts.

A Michael Boylan amendment to route nearly $730,000 to the JaxCareConnect Program, designed to fund low-income health care, succeeded, with money being moved from the Budget Stabilization Fund. Agape Health, Westjax Outreach, Muslim American Social Services, Mission House, the Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless, and Volunteers in Medicine all got funding.

A Pittman proposal to move $1,910 above the line for the Sister Cities program met muster.

Meanwhile, a Randy White recommendation to move $13,478,133 from Operating Reserves to a Public Safety Designated Contingency account was not adopted, but led to a commitment for at least that much being moved in an October meeting.

A Matt Carlucci proposal to move $1 million from the Budget Stabilization Contingency account to Neighborhoods for Local Stack Funding for Attainable Housing was substantially filled at $900,000.

But not every proposal was a winner.

Peluso proposals to put $20 million into roadway resurfacing and $5 million into new sidewalks failed, with Vice President Nick Howland and others objecting to timing and the money coming from operating reserves.

A Ron Salem telehealth amendment moving $1.5 million below the line for further consideration next FY also failed with confusion from multiple Council members who thought it was a done deal.

“I wouldn’t trust you to pick the toppings on my pizza,” snarked Matt Carlucci.

Council also rejected Rahman Johnson’s proposal to spend $1 million on the Jacksonville Urban League Community Empowerment Center project, as well as his proposed $250,000 to the Jacksonville Public Library for library books, which doubled the appropriation in the budget.

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