Ingoglia calls out Broward County's 5-year, 47% rise in budget

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(The Center Square) – Broward County’s annual budget is $190 million more than it should be based on population growth and inflation, Florida’s chief financial officer said Tuesday in a news conference.

It was the fifth Florida county visited by Blaise Ingoglia in recent weeks to highlight what he describes as excessive government spending.

“Government is expanding because they can, not because they need to,” he said Tuesday. “They are not being good stewards of your money. They are not getting services to you quicker. They are just expanding the bureaucracy underneath it.”

Governments are defending the increased spending by saying it is needed for fire and police to service a growing population, Ingoglia said.

“That’s just nonsense,” he said. “I think I can speak on behalf of almost every property owner in the state of Florida. We are sick of local governments spending our tax dollars wastefully, squandering our money and constantly coming back for more, more and more.”

Rising property taxes make housing less affordable, Ingoglia added. Local governments give a lot of money to nonprofits which work to build affordable housing, he said.

“The easiest way to give people housing that is more affordable is to give them property tax relief,” Ingoglia said.

In the past five years, Broward County’s budget has increased by $617 million, Ingoglia said.

“That is an astounding 47.28%,” he said. “Remember, this is over and above inflation and population.”

The Center Square was unsuccessful prior to publication of getting a response from Broward County.

Earlier in September, the Broward County Commission approved a slight reduction in the county’s property tax rate.

“Even while restraining spending in other areas and increasing public safety funding, the county strengthened its financial reserves by including increases in reserves for emergency and cash flow as well as emergency preparedness and shelters, to prudently prepare for unforeseen emergencies,” the county said in a statement.

Jacksonville, also singled out, also approved a slight drop in its property rate in September.

The reduction, which will cut property tax proceeds by only about $13.5 million annually, was opposed by Mayor Donna Deegan and some members of the public who spoke against it at a City Council meeting, but was passed 15-2 by the City Council.