Below is the official statement from the Florida Department of Financial Services regarding Nassau County’s recent budget audit.
Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia announced that Nassau County is overspending by more than $53 million. The county has increased its budget by more than 96% over the past five years, but its population has only grown by 18%. Chief Financial Officer Ingoglia is calling on Nassau County officials to provide residents with the tax breaks they deserve.
“Taxpayers across Florida are tired of their local elected officials wasting their hard-earned money on government bloat,” said Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia. As CFO, I will continue to bring transparency to Floridians and hold local governments accountable for overtaxing their residents. Every time we look at local governments, we believe real tax cuts are not only possible, but necessary.”
Doug Wheeler of the James Madison Institute said, “A serious review of property taxes is long overdue. Irresponsible local spending comes from irresponsible local tax collection. Floridians want accountability, transparency, and respect for their tax dollars. The CFO’s methodology is an effective tool for finding wasteful spending, and we appreciate his work supporting Floridians.”
“Small business owners like myself rely on customers to have expendable income to support our business,” said Jeff Freese, owner of Ash Street Cigar Parlor. “We just want to live a fair life and have a voice that’s heard by the people who have the right to vote. Thank you, Chief Financial Officer Ingoglia, for your commitment to supporting taxpayers.”
The Nassau County General Fund budget increased by $96,206,198 compared to the 2019-2020 fiscal year (FY). However, only 16,597 residents moved to the county during the same period. The budget for each new Nassau County resident increased by $5,797, or $23,188 for a family of four.
The Florida Office of Fiscal Oversight (FAFO) has recommended that Nassau County can reduce its miscellaneous fee rate by 0.95 mill without interfering with essential services provided to voters. If the county applies this reduction, homeowners could potentially save:
If your taxable home value is $400,000, you’ll save $380 per year. If your taxable home value is $500,000, you’ll save $475 per year. If your taxable home value is $600,000, you’ll save $570 per year.
Chief Financial Officer Ingoglia revealed more than $1.9 billion in excessive and wasteful spending across 12 local governments in the 2024-2025 general fund budget. As part of his role as Florida’s chief financial officer, Chief Financial Officer Ingoglia plans to continue exposing excessive and wasteful spending across the state.
