Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, CFO Blaise Ingoglia Subpoena Orange County Employees Linked to Obstructing State Doge Audit

DeSantis: Orange County taxpayers deserve better

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Governor Ron DeSantis joined Chief Financial Officer  Blaise Ingoglia to announce that the CFO’s Office will issue subpoenas to Orange County employees who may know of efforts to obstruct the state’s ongoing local government DOGE audits.

This announcement follows the discovery of irregularities in county records during on-site visits by state DOGE teams, which raised red flags among auditors.

“Orange County taxpayers deserve better,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.

“I applaud CFO Ingoglia for issuing subpoenas to Orange County employees involved in grant decisions, fiscal operations, and divisional management. Altering public records and trying to cover up reckless spending decisions is unacceptable, and we will continue working to uncover the truth.”

“Taxpayers have a right to know how their hard-earned dollars are spent. Today, we have issued subpoenas to ensure that Orange County is accountable to the taxpayers and is transparent with the ways that they use public funds,” said Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia.

“I will not stand idly by while Floridians are forced to pay higher property taxes to fund wasteful and bloated government budgets. I promised to hold local governments accountable for overspending, and I am proud to work with Governor DeSantis to keep that promise.”

Orange County was selected for an on-site audit based on the DOGE team’s review of county spending and its woke DEI initiatives in the community.

Over the last five years, the Orange County government has increased burdens on property owners and taxpayers to the tune of over 330 million dollars in additional ad valorem tax collections—an increase of 52% since fiscal year 2019-2020.

This has been part of a spending spree that has seen Orange County’s annual general fund expenditures expand from just over $1 billion in FY 2019-20 to over $1.6 billion in FY 2024-25—a budget increase of over $559 million, or 54%. Meanwhile, during that time, the county’s population has grown by only around 10%.

Orange County has also prioritized diversity hiring over merit for necessary county resources, including the Orange County Fire Department.

The County went so far as to spend $322,000 on a “disparity study” in an effort to manufacture evidence of “discrimination” toward those receiving government contracts so they could push for DEI-based “equal outcomes.”

Cooperation is not optional. Orange County has a responsibility to explain the irregularities flagged by the State of Florida DOGE team through full cooperation with the DOGE audit and subpoena. These subpoenas require County employees to assist our DOGE audit and turn over any previously hidden, deleted, or otherwise withheld documents.

Governor Ron DeSantis created the Florida Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) through Executive Order 25-44 in February 2025 to ensure government efficiency, transparency, and accountability at all levels of government, including state agencies, state colleges and universities, and local governments.

Having entrusted their governments with the power to tax, the citizens of Florida have a right to expect that their elected officials will spend the collected funds responsibly, not recklessly, and only on vital programs.

Throughout his tenure, Governor DeSantis has made clear his commitment to fiscal responsibility. Florida has paid down nearly 50% of the State’s total historic tax-supported debt and has maxed out the state’s rainy-day fund during his tenure.

Additionally, the Governor’s signing of the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget marks the second consecutive year of a year-over-year reduction in state spending.

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