BRADENTON, Fla. – The Manatee County government will get audited by Florida’s Department of Government Efficiency, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday.
At a news conference in Bradenton, DeSantis and Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia questioned the county’s spending as tax revenues increased, as well as the amount the county has added to its reserves.
It’s the latest county to get an audit announced. This week, DeSantis and Ingoglia announced that DOGE would conduct audits in the city of Gainesville and in Broward County.
Ingoglia and DeSantis framed the government budgets as an affordability issue because property values have skyrocketed across the state in recent years, leading to high property tax assessments.
Ingoglia also said this was part of a move to push property tax reform, if not a full repeal of property taxes.
“We eventually want to get to property tax reform with the eventual goal of getting rid of homesteaded property taxes altogether. Because, as the governor said, do you really own your home?” Ingoglia said.