Property Tax Update – Pictured: Model Home on Desk While Signing Papers – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Alexander Raths
Blaise Ingoglia, the CFO for the state of Florida, is urging significant reductions in property taxes, claiming that local governments are keeping their budgets bigger than they need to at the expense of homeowners.
During an update on the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) audits of the state’s local governments on Tuesday in West Palm Beach, Ingoglia stated, “The budget that is funded by your property taxes has gone up anywhere between 60 percent and 120 percent.”
“Now, when you go back pre-COVID and you start factoring in inflation and population growth, those budgets should not have exploded anywhere near where they’re exploding right now,” he stated.
Ingoglia is by no means the only Florida official to criticize the state’s exorbitant property taxes, which have been on the rise recently as home values skyrocketed amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Even the idea of completely eliminating property taxes in the state has received support from Governor Ron DeSantis.
Were There Indications of Wasteful Spending in the DOGE Audits?
The DOGE audits’ conclusions have not yet been made public. However, the department’s auditors have found “eye-popping” instances of inappropriate expenditure in Palm Beach County, Ingoglia said on Tuesday.
However, Ingoglia refused to give further information when pressed by reporters, stating that “it will all come out in our report in about 60 days.”
According to reports, DOGE used AI and line-by-line inspections to examine Palm Beach County’s budget from 2021 to 2025 in order to determine whether the local government is effectively employing taxpayer funds. According to a report by Interim County Administrator Todd Bonlarron, the auditors are examining DEI programs, contracts, procurement, and personnel management procedures.
On Tuesday, Ingoglia declared, “These audits will shine the light on wasteful spending,” “The amount of property taxes that people are paying worries them. Local politicians claim that their budgets have already been drastically reduced, but I can assure you that this is untrue.
Maria G. Marino, the mayor of Palm Beach County, told WPTV that she is not worried about the findings of the audits conducted by DOGE. According to her, the county’s law enforcement receives over half of its substantial budget.
“As the Chief Financial Officer of Palm Beach County, my office makes sure that all payments are made in compliance with Florida statute and Palm Beach County policy. In a statement to Newsweek, Palm Beach County Clerk Mike Caruso stated, “Our office is providing any and all materials requested by DOGE and supporting full transparency of taxpayer dollars, even though I am not aware of the specifics that CFO Ingoglia may have encountered in his work with the Florida Department of Government Efficiency.”
“My goal as Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller is to make sure our office is financially responsible, give complete transparency of government spending, and run as effectively and efficiently as possible every day for the people of Palm Beach County, as I am the steward of Palm Beach County’s tax dollars. He went on to say, “We are ‘Here to Help’ everyone.”
Newsweek emailed Marino’s office to request comment.
What Might the Results of the Audits Show?
The CFO would be in favor of putting a constitutional amendment on the ballot so that Floridians could vote for property tax relief if the audits reveal unnecessary and wasteful expenditure by Florida’s local counties, as Ingoglia has proposed.
Ingoglia stated on Tuesday, “The governor and I have been pushing very hard for the elimination of homestead property taxes.”
Is It Possible for Florida to Do Away With Property Taxes?
Currently, a number of Republican-led states, like Florida, are attempting to significantly reduce or possibly do away with property taxes. There is currently no detailed plan to completely eliminate property taxes in the Sunshine State.
However, the procedure would be somewhat intricate. The state would need a constitutional amendment supported by 60% of voters in order to abolish property taxes.
Local governments may be at risk because the action would deprive them of a large portion of the funds they depend on to maintain vital public services like schools, fire departments, and law enforcement.
Without “a cohesive plan to raise taxes in a progressive manner,” state policymakers seeking to abolish property taxes risk making low-to-moderate-income households “pay more in taxes, as a percentage of their earnings, compared to wealthy residents if sales taxes increase to make up the lost revenue,” according to a recent report from the Florida Policy Institute (FPI).
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
