TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — A final-minute addition made its approach into the state price range, giving the governor’s workplace the ability to conduct DOGE-like evaluations of native governments all through Florida. However critics are elevating crimson flags over the state’s new energy to analyze native governments and their spending plans.
Florida cities and counties might quickly face fines of $1,000 per day if they do not adjust to the state to entry their knowledge methods, personnel, and buildings.
“A part of this implementing language will assist these communities perceive we might have to alter a number of the issues we’re doing,” mentioned State Senator Ed Hooper (R-Clearwater).
The measure made its approach into the price range implementation invoice, giving the governor’s Workplace of Coverage and Price range authority to comb via native monetary data and flag any illegal D.E.I. spending or indicators of waste, fraud, or abuse.
Native governments may have seven enterprise days to conform, however Democrats are involved with privateness rights and the way the brand new coverage made its approach into the price range.
“We’re a state-level model now of the catastrophe that we noticed on the federal authorities,” mentioned State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando). “Does this imply that the governor goes to ship a bunch of 20-something-year-old bros, who don’t have any expertise, into native cities and counties for them to entry knowledge methods, entry personnel info, for them to begin making cuts and proposals?”
In assist of the transfer, State Senator Jason Pizzo (NPA-Sunny Isles Seashore) argued the oversight is lengthy overdue. He mentioned a lot of Florida cities in his district had been blowing cash on issues earmarked for one thing else.
“Most of my cities welcome one thing like this, so that they actually get to reveal how environment friendly and the way properly run they’re. A few of my cities needs to be afraid,” mentioned Pizzo.
Pizzo added that if state budgets face public scrutiny, native budgets ought to too.
The invoice handed each chambers and is being ready for the governor’s signature. If accredited, it might take impact July 1st, 2025.
Proper now, it is solely a short lived measure and tied to the price range cycle, scheduled to run out July 1st, 2026, however with Republicans controlling each homes of the legislature, they might simply lengthen it.
