Tucson Mayor & Council appoint Rocque Perez II to vacant Ward 5 Council seat

Ward 5 Councilman Richard Fimbres, in his 4th term, retired due to health reasons on May 1, 2025. Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and the 5 member Council met today (May 6) and appointed Rocque Perez II to the vacant seat, to be filled till December 1, 2025.

Five men applied for this place holder vacancy by the May 1 deadline. Read my earlier post:https://blogforarizona.net/five-men-apply-for-vacant-ward-5-council-seat/:

1) John Alan Adkisson, accountant – withdrawn previously
2) David Garcia, owner of Barrio Restoration Inc.
3) Gabriel Holguin, current Ward 5 Council Aide
4) Robert Jaramillo, retired US Navy, Sunnyside School District board member – withdrawn at the meeting due to potential conflict with presently sitting on a Tucson school board
5) Rocque Perez II, Executive Director, Metro Education Commission

Each of the remaining 3 applicants did a short presentation today, then the Council voted. Ward 1 Councilmember Lane Santa Cruz made the motion to appoint Rocque Perez II to the seat, 2nd by Ward 4 Councilmember Nikki Lee (?). Vote was 6-0.

Congratulations to Rocque Perez II on this place holder position. He wrote in his letter of interest that he (as Executive Director) would take “immediate unpaid leave” from Metro Education Commission to do this job, so there would be no conflict with City funding. He appears to have a lot of budgetary experience, which is what the Tucson Councilmembers said they desire since they are in the City’s 2025 budget process right now.

Running for this seat in the August 5, 2025 Dem primary are 3 candidates: Selina Barajas (urban planner), Chris Elsner (UA Peace Corps coordinator) and community activist/businessman Jesse Lugo. Lugo has Fimbres’ endorsement, and has run for this Ward 5 seat and the AZ House before in 2020 and 2021.