Florida CFO Pushes Legislative Plan To Rein In Local Government Spending

FLORIDA - Florida’s chief financial officer has announced a new legislative effort aimed at strengthening oversight of local government finances and reducing what state auditors describe as excessive taxpayer spending.

Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia said recent reviews by his office found that several counties and municipalities increased spending far beyond population growth and inflation, resulting in more than $1.8 billion dollars in what the state categorizes as unnecessary expenditures.

The findings stem from audits conducted by the Florida Agency for Fiscal Oversight, which examined budget growth trends across multiple local governments.

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According to the CFO’s office, counties including Miami Dade, Palm Beach, Orange, Duval, and Manatee were among those flagged for significant budget increases over recent years.

Ingoglia stated that despite higher tax revenues, some local governments allegedly expanded spending instead of easing the financial burden on residents or prioritizing long term fiscal discipline.

The proposed legislation would formally place the Florida Agency for Fiscal Oversight into state law and require local governments to submit regular efficiency and spending reports.

It would also mandate training for government employees on identifying and reporting waste, fraud, and abuse of public funds.

Another key component of the plan includes expanding whistleblower protections to cover government workers, contractors, and taxpayers who report suspected financial misconduct.

Local governments would also be required to upload contracts into a centralized system to improve transparency and public access to financial information.

Under the proposal, the CFO would gain additional authority to recommend action against officials accused of financial mismanagement and to withhold state funds from local governments that fail to cooperate with oversight requests.

State lawmakers supporting the proposal say the measures are intended to protect taxpayers and encourage responsible budgeting as Florida continues to grow.