Florida AG backs audit into Broward Schools’ spending
Key Points(5)
- Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has announced his office will support the state’s Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, in a forthcoming audit of Broward County’s contract awards, including those involving the Broward County School Board.
- The team will review data systems, inspect physical premises, and examine personnel and contract records as part of a broader effort to uncover waste, fraud, and abuse in local government spending.
- According to the Florida governor, Broward local government spending just doesn't add up.
- "Their county government has increased property tax burdens by the tune of $450 million, in addition to ad valorem collections, that's an increase of close to 50% just since 2020, but yet the population of Broward has barely grown at all, less than 5%," Gov.
- "I think it was, was it $800,000 for the Rose Bowl?
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has announced his office will support the state’s Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, in a forthcoming audit of Broward County’s contract awards, including those involving the Broward County School Board.
In a tweet issued Friday, Uthmeier said his office had “heard concerns regarding Broward County’s large contract awards, including at the Broward County School Board,” and pledged assistance to DOGE’s investigation, promising to “hold any bad actors accountable.”
According to public statements from Gov. Ron DeSantis and recently sworn-in Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, DOGE auditors are scheduled to begin on-site inspections in Broward County and the city of Gainesville on July 31 and August 1. The team will review data systems, inspect physical premises, and examine personnel and contract records as part of a broader effort to uncover waste, fraud, and abuse in local government spending. According to the Florida governor, Broward local government spending just doesn't add up. "Their county government has increased property tax burdens by the tune of $450 million, in addition to ad valorem collections, that's an increase of close to 50% just since 2020, but yet the population of Broward has barely grown at all, less than 5%," Gov. DeSantis said. "I think it was, was it $800,000 for the Rose Bowl? They did a float in the Rose Bowl. The county administrator here makes almost half a million dollars a year. So there's a lot of things that really deserve scrutiny," he said. DeSantis and Ingoglia also highlighted Alachua County and other South Florida counties as potential targets for Florida DOGE. “ I think it's very possible that you see an announcement on Miami-Dade within the next couple of weeks," said DeSantis, who also indicated Palm Beach was on the radar of state officials. Broward County Commissioner Steve Geller responded, saying: "I find it interesting that the two counties he chosen to audit first are two bright blue counties, but I'm sure that's merely a coincidence."In light of Gov DeSantis’ and CFO Ingoglia’s DOGE efforts to identify waste, fraud, and abuse in local governments, our office has heard concerns regarding Broward County’s large contract awards, including at the Broward County School Board.
We will support DOGE’s investigation… — Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) July 25, 2025
