Ron DeSantis delivered one nightmare that left local politicians fuming

Local politicians across Florida just got a wake-up call they won’t soon forget.

The era of reckless spending on taxpayers’ dime is officially over.

And Ron DeSantis delivered one nightmare that left local politicians fuming.

DeSantis unleashes DOGE auditors on wasteful local governments

Governor Ron DeSantis announced at a Gainesville press conference that Florida’s Department of Government Efficiency team will be conducting mandatory audits of local governments – starting with the City of Gainesville and Broward County.¹

This isn’t some gentle request for cooperation.

The audits are backed by state law, and local officials have zero choice in the matter.

Newly appointed CFO Blaise Ingoglia made it crystal clear that this represents “a new era of accountability” for local governments that have been treating taxpayer money like their personal piggy banks.²

The timing couldn’t be more strategic.

With property values skyrocketing across Florida, local governments have been gorging themselves on increased tax revenue while residents struggle with the cost of living.

But DeSantis isn’t buying their excuses anymore.

“Don’t tell me that your City’s run well; show me,” DeSantis fired back when a reporter tried to read a statement from Gainesville’s mayor defending the city’s spending.³

https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1947774150510317815

The numbers expose the ugly truth about local spending

The Governor’s team came armed with devastating facts that expose just how out of control local spending has become under the noses of Florida taxpayers.

In Gainesville alone, property tax revenue has more than doubled from $36.6 million in fiscal year 2020 to an estimated $74 million in 2026.⁴

That’s not a gradual increase – that’s a cash grab.

Meanwhile, Broward County has jacked up property tax burdens by a staggering $450 million annually, representing a 45% increase, while the county’s population grew less than 5% per year.⁵

The numbers don’t lie, but local politicians have been hoping taxpayers wouldn’t connect the dots.

Newly appointed Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, who was sworn in Monday, didn’t mince words about what these audits will uncover.

“I’m sorry to say this, but a lot of local officials don’t care, because they don’t view it as their own money,” Ingoglia stated during the press conference.⁶

Local governments blow taxpayer money on woke pet projects

DeSantis specifically called out the types of wasteful spending that will be targeted in these comprehensive audits.

The City of Gainesville has been funding DEI programs and Green New Deal initiatives – exactly the kind of left-wing agenda items that taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to subsidize through their property taxes.⁷

But the waste goes beyond just ideological spending.

Broward County spent a jaw-dropping $800,000 on a float for the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California – because apparently that’s what struggling Florida homeowners were demanding from their local government.⁸

DeSantis also highlighted the obscene salaries being paid to city and county employees, with some pulling down $250,000 to $300,000 annually.

For perspective, the Florida CFO doesn’t make anywhere close to those amounts, and state officials handle far greater responsibilities than local bureaucrats.⁹

“The power to tax citizens should not be taken lightly,” Ingoglia emphasized. “If you are in office and you are taxing, you should be asking yourself, ‘If this was my own personal money, would I make the same investment?’”¹⁰

Real auditors with real authority are coming to City Hall

These aren’t going to be paper-shuffling exercises designed to give cover to wasteful spending.

DeSantis made it clear that “real auditors” will be conducting these reviews, and they’re getting unprecedented access to local government operations.¹¹

The DOGE teams will physically visit City Hall and review data systems, examine the physical premises, and dig through personnel records.

They’ll have access to everything, and local officials can’t hide behind claims of executive privilege or bureaucratic stonewalling.

DeSantis emphasized that 75 cities and counties have already agreed to cooperate with the state DOGE audits, but his administration isn’t asking permission from the holdouts.¹²

The authority comes directly from legislation passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by DeSantis.

“This is not optional cooperation,” the Governor stated firmly.¹³

Property tax relief for families

DeSantis is building the case for comprehensive property tax reform that could culminate in a 2026 ballot measure.¹⁴

The Governor’s vision is ambitious: eliminating property taxes entirely on homesteaded residential properties for Florida residents.

“If you [eliminated property taxes on homesteaded residential properties], in addition to having no income tax, you’re talking about the best place to live, work, raise a family, or retire, bar none, at that point,” DeSantis concluded.¹⁵

But meaningful property tax relief requires cutting the wasteful spending that has exploded at the local level.

Ingoglia put it perfectly: “We are on a mission to prove that a lot of the stuff that they don’t want to cut, they could cut. There’s just not a willingness to cut.”¹⁶

Local governments are already positioning themselves to claim they can’t afford cuts, but the DOGE audits will expose which expenses are truly essential and which are just bureaucratic bloat.

“What local governments need to understand is, it’s not their money; it’s your money, the taxpayer money,” Ingoglia declared.¹⁷

More jurisdictions will be announced over the next two weeks, representing different political compositions across Florida at both the county and municipal levels.

The message to local politicians is simple: start cutting the fat now, or the voters will force your hand in 2026.

After years of treating taxpayers like ATM machines, local governments across Florida are about to face some long-overdue accountability.

¹ Jennifer Cabrera, “Taxpayers should be put first: DeSantis announces DOGE focus on City of Gainesville,” Alachua Chronicle, July 22, 2025.

² Ibid.

³ Ibid.

⁴ Ibid.

⁵ Steve Wilson, “DeSantis orders state audits of Broward County, Gainesville,” The Center Square, July 22, 2025.

⁶ Ibid.

⁷ Jennifer Cabrera, “Taxpayers should be put first: DeSantis announces DOGE focus on City of Gainesville,” Alachua Chronicle, July 22, 2025.

⁸ Steve Wilson, “DeSantis orders state audits of Broward County, Gainesville,” The Center Square, July 22, 2025.

⁹ Jennifer Cabrera, “Taxpayers should be put first: DeSantis announces DOGE focus on City of Gainesville,” Alachua Chronicle, July 22, 2025.

¹⁰ Steve Wilson, “DeSantis orders state audits of Broward County, Gainesville,” The Center Square, July 22, 2025.

¹¹ Jennifer Cabrera, “Taxpayers should be put first: DeSantis announces DOGE focus on City of Gainesville,” Alachua Chronicle, July 22, 2025.

¹² Steve Wilson, “DeSantis orders state audits of Broward County, Gainesville,” The Center Square, July 22, 2025.

¹³ Jennifer Cabrera, “Taxpayers should be put first: DeSantis announces DOGE focus on City of Gainesville,” Alachua Chronicle, July 22, 2025.

¹⁴ Ibid.

¹⁵ Ibid.

¹⁶ Ibid.

¹⁷ Ibid.