TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — Governor Ron DeSantis and newly appointed Chief Monetary Officer Blaise Ingoglia are taking intention at native governments, accusing counties and cities throughout the state of reckless and extreme spending.
On Monday, Florida’s CFO mentioned he wasn’t losing any time moving into his new position. Quickly after being sworn in, Ingoglia was already calling on cities and counties to elucidate their spending habits, sending two letters to Gainesville and Broward County thus far.
“There’s a new period of accountability within the state of Florida in terms of fiscal spending,” Ingoglia mentioned.
“Now we have the authority. That is not elective. We do not have to ask mom, might I? We are able to simply merely say you could comply underneath the legislation,” DeSantis mentioned.
The critiques will embody onsite inspections, information system pull, and probably every day fines for these cities and counties that refuse to conform.
“We have to begin asking native authorities, the place are you spending this cash? After which let the individuals know what they’re spending the cash on,” Ingoglia mentioned. “Then let the individuals make the choice that that is worthwhile.”
Ingoglia harassed to the viewers at a Gainesville press convention that they’re dwelling in a metropolis he believes is without doubt one of the worst offenders for reckless spending.
8 On Your Aspect reached out to Mayor Harvey Ward, who shared the alternative, saying Gainesville is already chopping debt, employees, and increasing its monetary reserves.
“We’re completely right here to help state statute, federal statute. “We aren’t within the enterprise of attempting to get across the legislation. We’re within the enterprise of delivering nice service for our neighbors right here in Gainesville,” Ward mentioned.
Ward additionally offered a press release: “Yesterday night, I obtained a request from Florida DOGE. Town of Gainesville has been and stays an open e-book, and as mayor, I stand by the effectivity and resiliency of our metropolis authorities. Over the previous two years our metropolis fee has handed a historic debt discount plan and eradicated 161.5 employees positions. We did this whereas defending public security, increasing our monetary reserves and maintaining our millage fee beneath the typical of our Florida peer cities. Moreover, our metropolis’s credit standing was elevated throughout all of this. Gainesville has already gone via an intensive DOGE-style course of initiated by the Florida Legislature. I count on different traditionally “Blue” cities and counties will endure comparable scrutiny. We’ll proceed to be attentive to state authorities whereas assembly the wants and values of our Gainesville neighbors.”
However the governor mentioned this isn’t political and that state leaders are simply beginning with the cities with probably the most complaints.
DeSantis warned different cities and counties, together with these in Tampa Bay, are subsequent within the coming weeks.
