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On February 24, 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 25-44, establishing the Florida Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The order directs state agencies, universities, and local governments to identify and eliminate unnecessary spending, maximize efficiency, and improve fiscal stewardship. The initiative builds on Florida’s history of low debt, minimal tax burden, and disciplined budgeting by emphasizing accountability, transparency, and the use of innovative technology such as artificial intelligence to support these goals.
DOGE is housed within the Executive Office of the Governor (EOG), Office of Policy and Budget (OPB), and is tasked with reviewing public expenditures and recommending legislative reforms. As part of this effort, counties are being asked to submit detailed financial data and documentation to demonstrate how public funds are collected and spent.
March 18, 2025:
Initial DOGE letter sent to counties and municipalities, requesting confirmation of financial conditions and compliance under Section 218.503, Florida Statutes.
April 11, 2025:
Follow-up letter outlines first formal data request and instructions for secure document upload. Counties were asked to provide budget, position, contract, and grant data by May 2.
July 1, 2025:
Senate Bill 2502 takes effect, authorizing the OPB to review local governments and enforce compliance under Section 124.
July 11, 2025:
A second statewide data request was issued by DOGE, expanding reporting requirements to include revenue source and expenditure data from FY 2020–21 through FY 2023–24.
Ongoing: Individual County Audits Are Underway
The DOGE initiative has moved into a new phase—on-site audits of local governments are now in progress. Audit teams, led by CFO Blaise Ingoglia and the DOGE team, have already been conducted in jurisdictions such as Broward, Orange, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Duval counties.
- Officials have reminded local governments that all records should be preserved and provided as requested during the audit process. Counties are encouraged to ensure their information is complete and ready for review to help facilitate a smooth and timely audit.
Section 124 of Senate Bill 2502 (2025) gives the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget discretionary authority to review the operations, spending, and financial documents of any local government that received state funding in the current or prior fiscal year. Reviews may include:
- Contracts, personnel costs, and administrative practices
- DEI-related spending inconsistent with state law
- Redundant government functions or wasteful spending
Counties are required to provide access to facilities, staff, and financial data within 7 business days of a request. Non-compliance may result in a $1,000 per day fine, subject to approval by the Administration Commission. Findings will be reported to the Governor and Legislature by January 13, 2026.
Since the issuance of Executive Order 25-44, the Florida Association of Counties (FAC) has played a central role in supporting counties through the DOGE process. FAC has:
- Engaged directly with the DOGE team to seek clarifications and reduce confusion regarding data requests.
- Circulated guidance, and best practices to counties.
- Maintained ongoing communication with county administrators and budget officers.
- Hosted a DOGE Panel at the 2025 FAC Annual Conference, featuring DOGE leadership.
Going forward, FAC will continue to advocate for clarity, flexibility, and fairness as counties work to meet DOGE requirements. Counties are encouraged to share questions and feedback so that FAC can continue serving as an effective liaison with state officials.