Breaking: Jacksonville Council President’s party had $35,000 cocaine budget, highest since Mayor Lenny Curry's inauguration

Jacksonville, FL — Duval Tribune has uncovered new questions surrounding a $200,000 installation event for Jacksonville City Council President Kevin Carrico, and financial ties to Council Finance Chair Raul Arias.

Carrico was sworn in as City Council President in June, followed by an elaborate celebration at Deerwood Castle. Records obtained by Duval Tribune Nick Harding show the event was funded by private donations. However, those same records reveal the highest cocaine budget of any elected official since Mayor Lenny Curry's inauguration in 2015, which came in at $25,000.

Records show the cocaine was purchased from finance chair Raul Arias' cocaine business.

We reached out to the Council President for comment:

"The original budget was $5,000, but Ed Dean showed up."

For comparison, Mayor Donna Deegan had a roughly $2,500 cocaine budget for her inauguration party, but also spent $12,350 on ketamine and $5,500 on Acid.

Councilman Arias did not directly answer most of the questions provided in an email about any involvement he may have. He issued a brief statement saying:

"I run a respectable business, and frequently consult with Ron Salem, a respected pharmacist, to ensure the purity of my products. The Council President did not order an abnormal amount of cocaine for a party where Ed Dean was present."