Local jurisdictions and public universities in Florida are latching Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new state-level Doge task force, including formal resolutions, independent committees and additional resources to support new initiatives.
Desantis announced in February that it would create “Florida Doge.” This is a similar programme to the one Elon Musk led at the federal level. The audit aims to use artificial intelligence and other measures to uncover hidden waste, review the operations and spending of state universities and universities, eliminate “redundant” committees or fees, and to investigate the expenditure habits of organizations. The initiative is intended to ensure fiscal compliance with all state laws, provide recommendations and submit referrals to appropriate enforcement agencies where necessary.
The governor then sent official guidance to various counties and municipalities as well as public universities and universities in March to confirm his willingness to follow an audit. The guidance also ordered the appointment of a proxy to be appointed as a key contact through the initiative.
The Democrat Senator says he “doesn’t believe” Doge is working on federal agency waste
In response, Florida’s largest jurisdictions and public agencies (such as Hillsboro County, the City of Jacksonville, and Florida Atlantic University) have shown an appetite to follow an audit. Their efforts include passing formal resolutions and creating an independent committee to support the governor’s initiative.
The Florida Dozi initiative is intended to “repeal” 70 redundant committees and committees in the state in accordance with a February press release from the governor’s office announcing new audit efforts. (Getty Images/Fox News)
“Completing this dogge audit supported a resolution that supports the willingness to open the county door, just collecting dust, like an old forgotten bank account sitting on millions of dollars, given the efficiency we already stumbled.
In Jacksonville, the city has already begun conducting meetings and has created the “Dubardoge” task force, which has already begun to run in meetings and has now zero in tens of millions of dollars on capital improvement projects that have been idle since 2023, according to Jacksonville’s WJXT Channel 4. This week, the Duval Doge task force also launched a website to track work being carried out in an ongoing audit.
Elon Musk says Doge will investigate “oddly wealthy” lawmakers: “No one can explain that.”
In addition to several public universities and universities, some of Florida’s biggest jurisdictions have confirmed their willingness to open doors to governor auditors. (Getty Images)
But while Jacksonville residents support the effort, others have been pushed back.
“Let’s see what Doge can take away from the working class, poor and elderly people. We don’t need that,” Duval County resident Russell Harper said at a city hall meeting about the new “Duval Doge” committee. Other residents complained that “Duval Doge” lacks proper democratic representation and is merely an effort to gain favour from the political elite.
Protesters will meet in Washington, DC (Alex Wong/Getty Images) on February 5, 2025 outside the Theodore Roosevelt Federal Building, the headquarters of the Human Resources Administration.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives at public universities and universities will also be part of the audit. The governor’s DOGE task force aims to ensure that the state board of education does not support these programs last year in line with a resolution banning such spending.
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Florida Doge also intends to “repeal” 70 redundant committees and committees in the state in accordance with a February press release from the governor’s office announcing the new audit.
“Florida was Doge before Doge was cool,” Desantis spokesman Brian Wright said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “In the past five years, under Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida has eliminated dozens of unnecessary boards, lifted unnecessary restrictions and reduced spending. Florida has paid 41% of the state’s debt, strengthened its economy and increased its rainy day funding by almost $1,000.”
Wostal said the new Doge audit is a better response than raising taxes to pay for the services they need.
“Instead of the knee’s reaction to raising taxes, it puts more strain on already-growing households — it’s time for the government to turn the lens inward,” he said.
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