OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia is accusing Osceola County of spending money like “drunken sailors,” claiming the county wasted more than $165 million in the last year alone.
His comments came during a press conference on Wednesday in St. Cloud. Hours later, the County issued a response that said in part, “The Osceola County Board of County Commissioners shares the Florida Agency for Fiscal Oversight’s commitment to delivering high-quality services at the greatest possible value to taxpayers,” but suggested the CFO was missing several key data points.
During his press conference on Wednesday, Ingoglia said the county budget has more than doubled since 2020, outpacing inflation and population growth.
The CFO said Osceola County’s budget should be about half of what it is right now. He conceded an increase was necessary, but said the budget should have increased by about 58 percent over the last six years, not 102 percent. Ingoglia said property tax reform was the key to forcing change.
“Government will not stop growing recklessly unless acted upon by an outside force. And the taxpayers are the outside force,” said Ingoglia, “They are taking your hard-earned tax dollars, and they’re spending it like drunken sailors, and Osceola County is drowning in waste.”
In their response letter, county leaders asked the CFO for the chance to provide additional context about what it takes to run one of the fastest-growing counties in the country.
County leaders, in part, blamed state mandates for the growth of local budgets, with requirements to fund jail operations, retirement contributions, and Medicaid costing the county millions over the last 5 years.
County leaders also said, “tourism doesn’t pay for itself,” noting that the county had more than 10 million visitors last year, which increased the need for “transportation improvements, public safety services, and other essential government functions.”
The CFO’s public comments came just two days after county leaders met Monday to discuss the potential impact of a property tax ballot initiative.
Analysts say the proposal now on the ballot could save homeowners an average of $3,000 every year, but it would also cut revenue flowing to local governments.
The ballot measure needs 60 percent approval to take effect and would begin by increasing the exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027, then increasing it to $250,000 in 2028.
Osceola County officials stated during the workshop on Monday that emergency response times, road construction, and debris collection after hurricanes could be affected by revenue loss. They also suggested there could be an impact on School Resource Officers and the ability to fund Sheriff’s Office K-9s.
According to county officials, once the $250,000 exemption takes effect, their revenue would be reduced by about $95 million.
Channel 9 asked the CFO about the potential cuts on Wednesday.
“I will respond to that with two letters: B. S.,” said Ingoglia, “They’re going to roll out a parade of horribles. Of everything and every reason why they can’t. It’s just not true,” Ingoglia said.
Ingoglia pointed to 2008, when the homestead exemption increased from $25,000 to $50,000, saying local governments made similar warnings that budget cuts would devastate municipalities.
While reductions followed, Ingoglia said core services continued.
County officials stated on Monday that they are evaluating what fees can supplement revenue and have already paused projects with ongoing maintenance costs, in preparation for possible property tax reform.
Officials also stated that even if they increased the millage rate on taxable properties to the maximum allowed by the state, they would still have no option but to make cuts.
“This is going to be a tax shift, and people who rent are very likely to see a tax increase,” said Osceola County Commissioner Viviana Janer.
Janer stated landlords, whose properties would not qualify for the exemption, would likely pass any new increases imposed by local governments on to renters.
“I feel like the tax shift is going to the most vulnerable part of the population,” said Janer, “People really need to understand the ramifications.”
You can see Osceola County’s Full Letter to the CFO here.
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