Manatee and Additional Municipalities to Get DOGE Benefits

BRADENTON, Fla. — Manatee County commissioners have launched a new government efficient liaison committee, appointing five members to facilitate communication with the state’s Department of Organizational Efficiency (DOGE) during an anticipated audit.

This committee will ensure that the county responds promptly to any requests from DOGE, aimed at reviewing financial practices during the audit process.

Earlier this month, Governor Ron DeSantis revealed that Manatee County would be included in an audit alongside Orange County, Broward County, and Gainesville, attributing the decision to rising expenditures and property tax rates.

In Orange County, Commissioner Mayra Uribe is currently compiling extensive documentation requested by the state, which amounts to thousands of pages covering the past five years. She noted that having a third party review their financials isn’t necessarily problematic.

“I don’t actually think it’s a problem. I think that if we’ve managed our funds well, it will be evident. If there are any discrepancies, they will be revealed,” Uribe commented.

According to Spectrum and Bay News 9’s partners at the Tampa Bay Times, the DOGE Task Force has reached out to cities like St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa, along with Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, requesting detailed information about their revenues and expenditures.

Most municipalities have reported that they have provided the requested spending details in response to these inquiries.