Governor DeSantis Targets Broward and Miami-Dade in New Efficiency Report
The DeSantis administration has intensified its scrutiny of local government spending in South Florida with the release of a comprehensive report from the state’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The findings, published this week, specifically target Broward and Miami-Dade counties, accusing the Democratic-led municipalities of demonstrating an “absence of budgetary discipline” by expanding their budgets significantly faster than their populations have grown.
Modeled after the federal efficiency initiative championed by Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the Florida DOGE task force was established to identify waste and mismanagement across local jurisdictions. The newly released document highlights what the state characterizes as excessive spending on nonessential programs. In Miami-Dade County, the report questions nearly $90 million allocated for the construction and renovation of cultural institutions, including the Coconut Grove Playhouse. It also critiques $24 million spent on bus cleaning protocols maintained at COVID-19 pandemic standards and $14 million in sports and cultural grants that state officials described as “DEI-themed.”
In Broward County, the task force pointed to an $800,000 expenditure for a Rose Bowl float and the nearly half-million-dollar salary of the county administrator as evidence of fiscal irresponsibility. Governor DeSantis has cited these examples to argue that local governments are engaging in a “spending spree” while residents grapple with inflation. The administration frames these findings as justification for a proposed constitutional amendment that would significantly reduce property taxes, a priority for the governor as he approaches the end of his term.
Local officials in both counties have strongly pushed back against the report’s conclusions and methodology. Broward County representatives dispute the state’s calculation of budget increases, noting that the figures include revenue from self-funded entities like airports and seaports that do not rely on general tax dollars. They argue that operational costs for essential services have risen due to inflation and labor market pressures, not mismanagement. Furthermore, local leaders have warned that the proposed property tax cuts could force drastic reductions in police, fire, and infrastructure services that taxpayers rely on daily.
Critics of the initiative describe the DOGE report as political theater designed to target ideological opponents rather than a genuine audit of fiscal health. They note that the task force found no instances of fraud or criminal misconduct in its review. Despite the friction, the DeSantis administration maintains that the highlighted expenditures prove the need for stricter state oversight and tax reform to curb local government growth.
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