JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Florida’s new Chief Financial Officer released a letter sent to Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan on Monday, which accuses the city of placing conditions and restrictions on state auditors.
“It has come to my attention that some governmental entities are attempting to require my audit team to sign documents that limit the audit authorities of this office,” wrote CFO Blaise Ingoglia.
The letter follows the announcement that Florida DOGE will be visiting Jacksonville on August 7 and 8 to review city spending practices and identify potential waste.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
“I will not stand for bureaucratic red tape when looking for waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars,” wrote CFO Blaise Ingoglia. “My message is clear: The CFO’s office has subpoena power to gain access to these files and I am not afraid to use that power.”
Mayor Donna Deegan made a statement Monday addressing the letter. She claims that Florida DOGE was asked to complete a single form before the August 7-8 visit, to which it refused.
“We go to great lengths to protect the integrity and safety of our network. As such, we require every external auditor to complete a standard one-page form to request access to our sensitive and sophisticated financial systems. We respect Florida DOGE’s desire to gain access. All we ask is that they follow our well-established procedures, which are protected under the very state statute that they cited. Security should never be politicized,” wrote Mayor Deegan.
“The City of Jacksonville already conducts self-imposed audits each year on top of what Florida DOGE is mandating, and this is part of the standard process for external auditors to gain access. Chapter 2025(199), Section 124 of Florida law states that Office of Policy and Budget personnel can be granted access to the City’s “data systems and related data, subject to appropriate security considerations."
Below is a copy of the document they were asked to sign:
Florida DOGE has been directed by Ingoglia not to sign documents like non-disclosure agreements, technology use agreements or acceptable use policies.
“These types of documents slow and impede the important work of the auditors and are nothing but roadblocks to the transparency that Floridians deserve,” he wrote in the August 4 letter.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
