Florida CFO Claims $190M Excess Spending in Broward Budget

Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia criticized Broward County's recently approved $1.7 billion property tax budget, accusing local officials of excessive and wasteful spending that outpaces both inflation and population growth. His review, conducted by the Department of Government Efficiency, found nearly $190 million in the county's budget deemed excessive, with the budget having increased by $617 million over five years despite a population growth of just over 56,000. Ingoglia argued that for every new resident, the budget increased by almost $11,000, a figure he considers unsustainable and reflective of bureaucratic expansion rather than improved services. He contended that there is sufficient funding in the budget to fully support police and fire services while still offering true property tax relief, countering local claims that tax cuts would underfund first responders. Broward County leaders defended their budget, citing fiscal responsibility, strong reserves, and essential services such as public safety and homelessness programs, framing the state audit as an opportunity to improve. Ingoglia warned that local governments will not restrain their spending voluntarily and that state-imposed oversight may be necessary to enforce fiscal discipline.