Audit teams from the State of Florida’s recently created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) arrived in Broward County last week, as well as Gainesville, to begin their work.
This action follows Governor Ron DeSantis’s promise to ensure transparency and accountability at local government level.
According to the Governor’s office, Broward County was targeted due to a “spending spree” that has seen its budget expand by over $1.2 billion in the last five years, while property taxes have risen by more than $450 million.
In Gainesville, the State alleges that property owners are now expected to pay 85% more in property taxes than they did in 2020. These jurisdictions were chosen, the state says, because their spending has far outpaced population growth.
The move has been met with resistance.
Officials in both Broward and Gainesville are pushing back on the state’s claims, arguing they are being targeted for spending on essential public services and infrastructure. Broward County Mayor Beam Furr called the audit a “huge imposition” on staff, while others have suggested the audits are politically motivated due to the fact that both jurisdictions are Democratic strongholds.
The DOGE teams’ mandate is to analyze local spending on everything from transportation to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, who is leading the initiative, stated, “We must ask whether these increases are truly justified. I’m focused on making life more affordable…and that starts with right-sizing government.”
Letters of intent to visit have been sent to other counties, including Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Orange, as well as the city of Jacksonville.