{"id":237217,"date":"2025-09-18T20:45:11","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T20:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/237217\/"},"modified":"2025-09-18T20:45:11","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T20:45:11","slug":"cfo-says-jacksonville-has-overtaxed-its-residents-by-200m-mayor-deegan-says-he-didnt-show-his-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/237217\/","title":{"rendered":"CFO says Jacksonville has overtaxed its residents by $200M. Mayor Deegan says he didn\u2019t show his work"},"content":{"rendered":"

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.<\/strong> \u2013 Florida\u2019s Chief Financial Officer visited Jacksonville on Wednesday and made a big claim, saying the city has overtaxed its residents by more than $200 million over the past five years. <\/p>\n

During the Wednesday news conference, CFO Blaise Ingoglia presented the results of an audit conducted by his office, which evaluated the city\u2019s 2019-2020 fiscal year budget through the 2024-2025 budget.<\/p>\n

The data included was pulled from three years under Republican Mayor Lenny Curry and two years under Democratic Mayor Donna Deegan\u2019s administration.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe went back to that year, and moved forward and indexed that number every year for inflation and population growth,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

He said the calculations concluded that the city government was \u201cover-taxing and overspending\u201d $199,853,114, but noted that that number could actually be between $230 million and $240 million.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Florida DOGE coming to Jacksonville to \u2018report on excessive spending at the city and county level,\u2019 councilman says<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

As a solution, Ingoglia recommended the city reduce the millage rate by 1.19 mils and cut property taxes to put money back into the \u201cpockets of taxpayers of Jacksonville who\u2019ve been funding this reckless, loaded budget for at least five years.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the reduction could save taxpayers up to $600 a year.<\/p>\n

Mayor Deegan\u2019s office and city council have been at odds about the millage rate, which determines how the city sets property taxes.<\/p>\n

Recently, the city leadership was at an impasse, with a split vote over the millage rate<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe already maintain the lowest property tax rate of any major city in Florida,\u201d <\/b>Deegan said in a statement in response to Ingoglia. \u201cOur fiscal responsibility is recognized by the leading ratings agencies, and our investments in public safety and infrastructure are creating a high quality of life, which is the reason we have the fastest growing population in Florida.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ingolia pointed out that the Jacksonville population increased by 56,605 people over the five years, making the $200 million an unnecessary budget increase.<\/p>\n

He said for every 88 people who moved to the city, Jacksonville added one new government employee, a pace he called unsustainable.<\/p>\n

He also noted that city salaries jumped more than 23% in just four years, outpacing the private sector and state employees.<\/p>\n

Deegan also pointed out that Ingolia did not show how he calculated the data, and also said it\u2019s unclear if the numbers included hundreds of police officers added to the streets and the historic 22% raise negotiated for first responders.<\/p>\n

She also provided the following context:<\/p>\n