Governor Ron DeSantis is now directing his Florida DOGE task force to audit the Republican controlled Manatee County.
The Governor’s task force is auditing local governments and state universities to highlight what he alleges is misspending. During a press conference Thursday, the governor announced that tax rolls have shot up in Manatee County due to rising property values, which has drew the task force’s attention.
“You have seen over the last six years, you know, you've seen a really significant increase in spending at the county level. Property tax receipts have gone up 86% in the last six years in this county, and that's $213 million in increased collection,” he said.
The taskforce is already looking into spending in Broward County and Gainesville. Unlike those two Democratic bastions, Republicans in Manatee outnumber Democrats 2 to 1.
Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia said during the presser that as property tax collections spike, attention should be given to all local governments with rising spending.
“For me personally, as a fiscal watchdog and as a friend of the taxpayer, it doesn't matter if a county or city is Republican-led or Democrat-let. What matters to me is if you are spending over and above what you should be spending,” he said.
Organizations like Florida Tax Watch have supported the effort, saying it will bring transparency to often opaque local contracting and spending processes. Critics have argued that local government
The push comes as DeSantis and Ingoglia have pledged to put a proposal to cut property taxes on the ballot in 2026.