ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is set to begin its audit of the city of Orlando’s finances on Monday.
DOGE sent a letter to the city back on July 30 notifying them of their upcoming visit.
According to that letter, officials will be looking at items including but not limited to employee pay, DEI, and homeless services.
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After DOGE’s visit to Orange County Government on Tuesday, Commissioner Myra Uribe spoke with News 6 about what the city of Orlando can expect as its audit approaches.
“They’re going to look at your spending,” Uribe said. “They’re going to look at your funding, they’re going to look at where you get funding and I think this is really an opportunity to prove to your constituents in the city of Orlando that you’re being dutiful with their tax dollars.”
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According to DOGE’s X profile, the agency has visited multiple cities and counties in Florida, including Gainesville, Manatee County and Broward County.
In DOGE’s letter to the city of Orlando, the agency said that rising property values pushed budgeted annual property tax collections up by more than $120,000,000 between 2020 and 2025.
The letter goes on to say the growing burden on property owners significantly outpaces inflation and growth in population reported in the city’s budget over that time period.
“What we’ve seen over the last five years, especially post-COVID, we’ve seen a lot of increases in property-tax receipts, resulting in general government growing,” Blaise Ingoglia, Florida’s chief financial officer, said Tuesday. “We do not think it is right that taxpayers get to foot the bill for government excesses.”
In response, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer shared a statement which reads, in part:
“Not only do we plan to cooperate, we also intend to share how the City of Orlando operates efficiently and in a financially-responsible manner.”
DOGE’s visit is expected to take place Aug. 11 to 12 .
[WATCH: Florida on-site audit shifts from Orange County to city of Orlando]