Florida DOGE auditors to inspect Hillsborough, Pinellas County spending

Florida DOGE to inspect Pinellas, Hillsborough counties

Hillsborough and Pinellas counties are the latest local governments in Florida to be selected for onsite inspections by the state?s Office of the Chief Inspector General, also known as DOGE. Genevieve Curtis reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - Hillsborough and Pinellas counties are the latest local governments in Florida to be selected for onsite inspections by the state’s Office of the Chief Inspector General, also known as DOGE.

The inspections come as part of a statewide effort by Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration to scrutinize rising local government budgets and ensure taxpayer money is being spent responsibly.

READ: Hillsborough teachers head back to school with raise after property tax increase

What we know:

In letters sent to both counties this week, the state cited significant increases in each county’s budget as the basis for the audits. Hillsborough County’s budget has grown by nearly 70% since the 2018-2019 fiscal year, while Pinellas County’s budget has increased by 43% since 2020.

At a press conference in Orlando, DeSantis addressed growing taxpayer concerns.

"Clearly, a lot of taxpayers are seeing that they are paying more in property taxes than they ever have before — and where is that money going?" he said.

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Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia echoed the sentiment earlier this month.

"Are the taxpayers getting the most bang for their buck?" he asked. "Are local governments actually spending frugally, fiscally, as if it was their money?"

Dig deeper:

The DOGE team has requested a wide array of documents from both counties, including:

• Contracts and employee compensation records
• Information on all jobs related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
• Spending tied to climate initiatives like the Green New Deal, emissions reduction and electric vehicles

What they're saying:

In response to the state’s request, Hillsborough County Administrator Bonnie Wise released a statement supporting the audit and highlighting the county’s recent investments:

"The County welcomes the opportunity to meet with the EOG DOGE Team and share the story of how we have made meaningful, strategic investments in public safety, transportation, and infrastructure projects since Fiscal Year 2019."

READ: Crews race to repair, replace storm water pipes in Hillsborough County ahead of future downpours

Pinellas County officials said they are still reviewing the state’s letter and plan to respond once that review is complete. However, at least one Pinellas County commissioner is welcoming the audit. 

Commissioner Vince Nowicki said he believes the budget is inflated and said in a statement: "Sunshine and scrutiny are part of good governance."

What's next:

The audits are scheduled to begin in Pinellas County next week, followed by Hillsborough County the following week. The letters said the counties could face financial penalties if they don’t comply.