Florida’s DOGE is targeting city and county climate programs as Republicans seek to constrain local government spending.
The state’s Department of Government Efficiency is asking local governments to detail their “green new deal” spending, including funding for electric vehicles, charging stations, solar power, sustainable building certification, staff training and other climate-related programs.
The demand is among many that the office — led by Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia — has made during what it calls on-site auditing. Last week, Florida DOGE conducted a two-day audit of the St. Petersburg city government, following similar examinations of Gainesville, Jacksonville, Broward County and Pinellas County. The state is also seeking to audit Miami-Dade County.
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis created Florida DOGE via executive order in February, and its early targets were universities. In June, lawmakers passed legislation compelling local governments to cooperate with Florida DOGE or face $1,000 daily fines. In July, state officials sent letters to local governments demanding specific documents, along with general access to their finances and records.
