Standardized Budgets Are Not Accountability. They Are Control.

Floridians are being told that a new proposal to standardize the budgets of cities and counties is about transparency and protecting taxpayers. That sounds good in a headline. It always does. But when you read past the talking points and look at what this proposal actually does, you see something very different. This is not about empowering taxpayers. It is about centralizing power in Tallahassee and weakening local self government across Florida.

The proposal being pushed by Blaise Ingoglia would force cities and counties to follow state mandated budget formats, expose them to expanded state audits tied to tax decisions, and give the Chief Financial Officer sweeping authority to police and even threaten the removal of locally elected officials. That is a fundamental shift in how Florida governs itself, and it should concern every voter regardless of party.

Florida is not one community. It is hundreds of unique cities and counties with different economies, risks, populations, and priorities. What makes sense for Miami does not necessarily make sense for Lake City. What works for a coastal county facing storm surge and flood risk does not apply the same way to an inland rural community focused on roads, agriculture, and emergency services. A one size fits all budget structure does not increase transparency. It flattens reality and replaces local judgment with state control.

True transparency is about clarity for citizens, not conformity for politicians. Most local governments already publish detailed budgets, hold public hearings, and answer directly to voters. If residents do not like how their city or county spends money, they have the most powerful accountability tool of all. The ballot box. Taking those decisions away from voters and placing them under state supervision does not strengthen democracy. It weakens it.

One of the most troubling aspects of this proposal is the idea that state audits should become a gatekeeper for local tax questions. Communities face real world needs that do not wait for Tallahassee timelines. Fire stations, police staffing, drainage improvements, and infrastructure repairs are not abstract line items. They are services people rely on every day. Delaying or obstructing local funding decisions through state imposed processes risks real harm to public safety and quality of life.

Equally dangerous is the precedent of allowing a statewide financial officer to recommend removal of locally elected officials based on vague standards of financial abuse. That kind of power invites politicization. Disagreements over priorities can easily be reframed as misconduct. Once that door is opened, no local official is truly independent anymore. They serve not only their voters, but the political preferences of state leadership.

There is also a cost that is not being discussed. Compliance. Smaller cities and counties will be forced to divert limited resources toward meeting new reporting mandates instead of providing services. More forms, more consultants, more administrative overhead. Taxpayers will still pay the bill, just in a different way.

I believe deeply in accountability. I have built my career around it. But accountability must run toward the people, not away from them. The job of the Florida Chief Financial Officer is to safeguard the financial integrity of the state, enforce the law, and protect consumers. It is not to micromanage local governments or override the will of local voters.

Florida does not need more centralized power. It needs honest oversight, clear rules, and leaders willing to hold everyone accountable equally. State agencies. Insurance companies. Contractors. And yes, local governments when they break the law. But that oversight must be lawful, proportional, and respectful of local democracy.

Standardizing budgets will not fix Florida’s problems. Trusting voters will.

That is why I oppose this proposal, and why as Chief Financial Officer I will fight for transparency that empowers citizens, accountability that respects local control, and a Florida that works from the ground up instead of the top down.