TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Metro Education Commission Executive Director Rocque Perez, 26, was unanimously appointed by the Tucson City Council and Mayor Regina Romero to fill the new Ward 5 seat following a special meeting Tuesday.
During the meeting, he and two other applicants discussed their relevant experience — such as budget development — and how they connect with Ward 5 residents, which mostly covers the South Side.
Perez explained that in his role as executive director of the Metro Education Commission — an independent nonprofit and public body of the City Council and Pima County — he has overseen operations ranging from budgeting and policy alignment to programs that increase college access and help students pursue federal aid.
“And really, I think try to coalesce in the interest of service for young people—their civic and service leadership as well as their academic achievement and wellness,” he said.
He acknowledged the city’s budget shortfall but named housing, transit systems and power infrastructure as key issues to address.
Perez said he has also held senior roles at Arizona State University and the University of Arizona, working across state and federal systems to secure resources and manage federal grants and state budgets to unlock funding for low-income learners.
“For me, education is a comfort space,” Perez said. “The wellness of young people is a comfort space.”
More recently, he said, he has had to pivot and navigate the constraints of Arizona’s flat tax system and education federal funding cuts, referring to a $2.5 million grant the commission lost.
Beyond local government and higher education, he said he has served on the boards of several nonprofits, including Literacy Connects, Tucson Pride and the Public Relations Society of Southern Arizona. He is also a member of Tucson Young Professionals and an alumnus of the Greater Tucson Leadership Civic and Political Leadership Academy.
He also noted that he is a young, gay Latino man whose family has long-known service in various forms.
“I also, like them, understand the deep illusion around politics, and I think that tension is very real for a number of families,” he said, before speaking openly about losing his 19-year-old brother to fentanyl.
“That loss has really shaped my life and, I think, sharpened the empathy I have for families navigating systems that are unresponsive or inaccessible,” he said.
Perez is now the second-youngest person to be appointed as a Ward 5 council member, following Roy Laos, who served on the Council from 1977-1988.
He said his appointment will send a message to younger generations that leadership belongs at every table—and that it is achievable if they show up in meaningful ways.
The seat opened May 1 when Richard Fimbres stepped down. Fimbres, who had been on the council since 2009, cited health reasons for his retirement.
RELATED STORY: Council member Richard Fimbres announces retirement
Fimbres was reelected in June 2023. Perez will serve the remainder of his term, which ends after the November election.
Three seats on the Tucson City Council are up for election in November: Wards 3, 5, and 6.
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Maria Staubs joined KGUN 9 as a multimedia journalist and producer in July of 2024. Her passion for writing and storytelling stems from anchoring her middle school’s news show and editing her high school’s yearbook. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication with a minor in film and media production, as well as a master's degree in mass communication. You can email Maria at maria.staubs@kgun9.com or reach out to her on X/Twitter or Instagram.
