Florida Expands Audits of County Spending Practices

Florida has initiated audits through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Governor Ron DeSantis and CFO Blaise Ingoglia, to examine local government spending in several counties, including Manatee, Orange, Broward, and Miami-Dade. The audits focus on areas experiencing rapid increases in property values and tax revenues, with the goal of identifying excessive or wasteful expenditures. DOGE teams are reviewing personnel costs, diversity and environmental programs, and contracts, with findings due within months. State leaders assert the effort will boost fiscal accountability and may support property tax cuts or reforms. Local officials, especially in Democratic-leaning regions, criticize the audits as politically motivated and redundant, fearing disruptions to local governance. The results could shape Florida's future property tax policies and alter the balance of power between state and local governments.