FL Governor and Finance Chief Announce Gainesville DOGE Audit Following Letter to Mayor
On Monday, the Florida Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) sent a letter to Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward that stated the following:
"Dear Mayor Ward,
Over the last four years, the taxpayers of Gainesville have watched as your city government has increased annual burdens on property owners by over $30 million dollars in additional ad valorem tax collections – an increase of over 80%. Simultaneously, Gainesville’s annual budget has expanded by nearly $90 million per year, over $600 per resident.
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 on truly necessary programs. Governor DeSantis has charged us, through Florida’s DOGE effort, to identify and report on this type of excessive spending at the city and municipal level. In follow-up to our July 11, 2025 letter requesting information linking your city’s sources of revenue to its expenditures, the DOGE team has identified additional information needed for our review.
In exercise of the Governor’s authority under the Article 4, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution, the Chief Financial Officer’s authority under 2025 Florida Statutes 17.04 and 17.05, and the Office of Policy and Budget’s authority under the Laws of Florida, chapter 2025(199), Section 124, we hereby request access to your city’s physical premises, data systems, and responsive personnel, as detailed below our signatures, on July 31, 2025 and August 1, 2025 at the city offices and such other locations that you identify as necessary to comply with these requests.
You may reach out to the Florida DOGE team and OPB regarding this request at 850-759- 2440 or EOGDOGE@laspbs.state.fl.us.
Responses to the information requests may be provided at the time of the requested access, or may be provided electronically in advance by contacting us for access to a secure electronic portal to which documents and other types of data may be uploaded. You should note that financial penalties may accrue for your failure to comply with each of the following requests for access on those dates.
SPECIFIC REQUESTS
For each of the following topic areas, you are requested to make available: (i) the information and documents described; (ii) access to the data systems containing such information and documents; and (iii) individuals with appropriate expertise to describe the city’s activities and decisions
Topic: Procurement and contracting:
Request No. 1: Policies, procedures, rules, and legal requirements for procurements or contracts in excess of $10,000.
Request No. 2: A list of all procurements and contracts in excess of $10,000.
Request No. 3: All records of bid solicitations, vendor selections, and contract documents for procurements or contracts responsive to Request No. 2.
Request No. 4: All information supporting the determination of the reasonableness of pricing for procurements or contracts responsive to Request No. 2.
Request No. 5: A listing of all sole source procurements or contracts in excess of $10,000.
Request No. 6: For all sole source procurements or contracts responsive to Request No. 5, the sole source procurement justification form and all other information supporting use of a sole source procurement.
Request No. 7: For all sole source procurements or contracts responsive to Request No. 5, all information supporting a determination that the pricing was fair and/or reasonable.
Request No. 8: All reviews and reports on the timeliness of work authorizations, notices to proceed, change order approval, billing, invoicing, and payment.
Topic: Personnel Compensation:
Request No. 1: The amount of regular pay, overtime pay, bonuses, and other cash compensation for all employees from FY 19-20 to present.
Request No. 2: All rules, procedures, and guidance at the department-wide level or above regarding promotions, step or level increases, or bonuses from FY 2019-20 to the present.
Request No. 3: A list of all decisions to provide department-wide or city-wide salary increases or bonuses from FY 2019-2020 to the present.
Request No. 4: For all decisions responsive to Request No. 3, any analysis conducted of the costs of such increases, alternatives, and projections of future associated costs and how such costs would be paid.
Request No. 5: Individuals with appropriate expertise to discuss your jurisdiction’s performance management systems and their use in promotions, pay increases, and bonuses.
Request No. 6: Data at the department level or above regarding the extent to which staff meet or exceed performance targets.
Request No. 7: Policies regarding the accrual of leave and payout of leave on separation
Request No. 8: Access to the systems used for tracking leave accrual.
Request No. 9: Records of all leave payouts on separation exceeding 25% of the annual salary of the separating individual from FY 19-20 to the present.
Request No. 10: Access to the systems used for tracking overtime.
Request No. 11: Records of all personnel recording more than 25% of their hours as overtime.
Management Practices:
Request No. 1: Records of all inventories of tangible personal property, including: a) the date of the most recent inventory performed to date] b) the reconciliation of that inventory to property records c) records of disposal between inventories d) identification of attractive personal property items.
Request No. 2: For any city-owned property leased to another entity, private or public: a) the amount of the lease b) the terms of the lease c) any assessment of the fair market value of the property d) the basis and determination that such lease constitutes the best use of the property.
Request No. 3: For any purchase or sale of public-owned property, the most recent appraisal made prior to such purchase or sale.
Request No. 4: A list of all city departments or components added to, removed from, or continued on a “Management Watch” since January 1, 2023.
Request No. 5: For each item listed in the response to Request No. 4, all documents related to the Management Watch, including: a) The basis for the designation b) The nature of city oversight provided during the Management Watch c) Any evaluation or analysis of the entity’s performance regarding the issues identified in the Management Watch d) The basis for removal from the Management Watch.
Gainesville Regional Utilities:
Request No. 1: All rate studies or utilized to determine rates since January 1, 2019.
Request No. 2: Methodology used to determine transfers of funds between the utilities system and other government funds, including the general fund.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
Request No. 1: All jobs with the responsibility to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, or so-called anti-racism.
Request No. 2: The current positions and activities of any person who previously had such responsibilities and is still employed by Gainesville.
Request No. 3: The titles, dates of administration, and duration for any scheduled training for city personnel, or made available by the city to others (including but not limited to contractors, grant recipients, or members of the public) that included diversity, equity, inclusion, or anti-racism as a topic or subject.
Request No. 4: The titles of any unscheduled or self-service training for city personnel, or made available by the city to others (including but not limited to contractors, grant recipients, or members of the public) that included diversity, equity, inclusion, or antiracism as a topic or subject.
Request No. 5: For any training responsive to Request No. 3 or Request No. 4, a copy of all training materials used, provided to participants, or made available for participants to obtain voluntarily.
Request No. 6: For any training responsive to Request No. 3 or Request No. 4, the identities and qualifications of those conducting the training.
Request No. 7: For any training responsive to Request No. 3 or Request No. 4, the names and positions of those attending the training.
Request No. 8: For any training responsive to Request No. 3 or Request No. 4, the identities and qualifications of those conducting the training.
Request No. 9: For any training responsive to Request No. 3 or Request No. 4, all costs and expenses associated with the training.
Request No. 10: For any training responsive to Request No. 3 or Request No. 4, if the training was conducted by a contractor or other external entity, all documents related to the qualifications, selection, and payment of such individual, contractor or entity.
Request No. 11: Any program operated by the city on the basis of an individual’s race, ethnicity, or gender, or targeted to a specific group based on the group’s racial, ethnic, or gender characteristics.
Request No. 12: Any grant made by the city to an organization that operates on the basis of, or for the benefit of, individuals of a specified race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity other than male or female, or that targets a specific group or set of groups based on race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.
Request No. 13: Any communication sent to all city staff, or to all staff within a city department, between January 1, 2019 and the present, regarding diversity, equity, inclusion, DEI, or so-called anti-racism.
Green New Deal:
Request No. 1: Documentation related to the adoption of any carbon or other greenhouse gas emissions reduction or carbon reduction target, including: a) consideration of alternatives to any such emissions goal or target; b) any cost-benefit analysis undertaken in support of such emissions goal or target, including any analysis conducted or estimate made of the impact of adopting the goal on global climate; c) all assessments of capital and operating expenses associated with the goal or target. d) all actual expenses to date associated with the goal or target.
Request No. 2: If not included in the response to Request No. 1 above, any purchases or other expenses for the lease or acquisition of battery-electric vehicles (EVs), EV infrastructure, energy purchases associated with EV infrastructure, solar power systems, carbon credits, carbon charges, or other emissions reduction mechanisms, and for each such expense, provide any records, assessments, or analysis of: a) Any alternative purchase option, including but not limited to, no-purchase options, purchase or lease of internal combustion engine powered vehicles, power generated from other sources; b) any analysis of the impact of the action on global climate; c) records of the reliability of any EV, EV infrastructure, or solar power system in use by the city during the time period from January 1, 2019 to present; d) records of all training related to the topic of climate change, battery-electric vehicles, or solar power, including the justifications, content, and attendance records for such training, and the location and costs (including travel costs) of such training.
Grants:
Request No. 1: Policies, procedures, rules, and legal requirements for grants made to external entities such as NGOs, and for all such grants made since January 1, 2023: a) records of all such grants made b) records of all payments made pursuant to such grants c) Procedures for monitoring of spending and performance by recipients of grants d) all records of the monitoring and performance of such grants.
Request No. 2: For all grants received by the city other than those made by a state agency, in partnership with a state agency, or administered by a state agency: a) the matching requirements for such grants, if any b) the source of funding for the match c) records of the decision to pursue such grant d) analysis of the impact of the grant, including any assumptions made in support of the analysis.
Transportation:
Request No. 1: Since January 1, 2023, for all installations of traffic calming devices, included but not limited to speed tables, speed humps, raised intersections, curb extensions, and chokers, the following information: a) the location, capital, planned lifecycle, and expected annual maintenance costs b) the basis for the installation, including any plan, analysis, or recommendation c) information related to the consideration of any alternatives.
Request No. 2: For all traffic calming devices not included in Request No. 9, the planned lifecycle and expected annual maintenance costs.
Homeless Services:
Request No. 1: Direct spending by Gainesville on programs related to the homeless.
Request No. 2: Grants to other entities, including NGOs, related to homeless services.
Request No. 3: Gainesville’s efforts to measure the effectiveness of these programs."
Gainesville Mayor Pro-Tempore and City Commissioner Bryan Eastman issued a response to the letter on Instagram where he denied the over spending allegations.
“No, taxes have not increased by 80%.
No, our budget has not grown by $90 million per year.
These numbers aren’t just wrong—they’re ridiculous.
Here’s the truth:
Since I took office, we’ve eliminated 161.5 city positions, slashed spending, and protected core services like police and fire. Non-public safety departments have been cut to the bone.
This isn’t about efficiency. It’s about power.
Tallahassee is bent on erasing Gainesville’s voice because we dare to do things differently - and because we’re not afraid to stand up for our community.”
Tuesday morning, Governor Ron DeSantis and newly hired Florida Chief Finance Officer Blaise Ingoglia held a press conference to provide more information about the upcoming DOGE audits.
DeSantis said, “The legislature did include this year, at our request, authority to do the doging of local governments. That’s municipalities, counties, even entities in there, like we were down there talking about the Broward Sheriff’s Department… We sent information to all the counties and the cities and said ‘Hey, comply with what we’re trying to do with DOGE…’ Some did, many of them didn’t. We’re now utilizing this new authority to roll at these DOGE efforts to these city and county governments.”
DeSantis said DOGE agents will “review data systems, review the physical premises, review personnel records… These are gonna be real auditors on the ground doing this.”
DeSantis the first round of DOGE audits will include the City of Gainesville, prompting an applause from the audience at his press conference.
“This is not optional cooperation,” said DeSantis. “We believe taxpayers have wanted to see this done. This will then roll into our effort to be able to do the property tax relief on the ballot in 2026,” he added.
DeSantis said, “There are ramifications for non-compliance… There are a variety of tools we have at our disposal and if we need to do that, we’ll do that.”
Ingoglia said local governments are “taking the extra tax revenue [and] spending it recklessly,” before calling the City of Gainesville “one of the worst offenders.”
“A new era of accountability is upon us in Florida,” said Ingoglia.
Ward has told several news publications that the City of Gainesville will be responsive to the DOGE audits.
