JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan stood side by side at a news conference for the first time in more than two years on Wednesday, but the mayor’s appearance wasn’t exactly voluntary.
Instead, she appeared as a hologram. At some points, Tony Boselli, Pro Football Hall of Famer and Executive Vice President of the Jacksonville Jaguars, appeared next to Deegan.
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“I think one of the main things we’ve got to be trying to do to give relief to our Florida residents and their property taxes,” DeSantis said.
The $75,000 so-called “Holo-Donna,” as some Republican city leaders have dubbed it, was cited as a prime example of wasteful government spending by DeSantis and Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia.
“This is just a stark example of tone deafness. This is $75,000 of waste, fraud, and abuse,” Ingoglia said.
The Mayor’s Office pushed back in a statement, defending the Proto Box technology, arguing that it’s an innovative way to greet travelers and showcase the city.
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“The City of Jacksonville has spent more than 1,000 staff hours cooperating with Florida DOGE throughout this year. The opportunity cost for this time is well above the $75,000 cost of the Proto Box itself,” Deegan said in an emailed statement.
Deegan also noted mayors greet visitors at airports all over the country, using multi-media technology.
Still, Ingoglia laid the blame on the city’s ballooning budget on the mayor, unveiling the logo of a fictional new city agency he dubbed “Taxes Squandered Again,” or TSA for short.
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In total, Ingoglia has claimed the City of Jacksonville is overspending by nearly $200 million, based on his DOGE team’s calculation.
Using that figure, the hologram accounts for less than four-tenths of a percent of the city’s alleged wasteful spending.
When asked for additional specific examples of wasteful spending items identified by the DOGE team, Ingoglia simply asserted there are many.
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“We have specific examples. We have reams of specific examples, but the expansion of the government bureaucracy itself is a large, wasteful and excessful expense,” Ingoglia said.
The CFO has not disclosed the specifics of the DOGE team’s formula for calculating wasteful spending, aside from his claim it factors in population growth, inflation and a so-called “government inefficiency factor.”
A final report detailing a breakdown of wasteful spending identified in the state’s audit is expected in the coming weeks.
You can read the full statement from the Mayor’s Office below:
“Our administration has been driving innovation since day one with exceptional results. We are turning around permits in half the time we used to. More than 304,000 staff hours have been saved through our 904 LEAN Program. We held the number of non-public safety city employees flat despite the fastest growing population in Florida. We have a top-tier AA+ distinction from the leading ratings agency.
“We stand by this Proto Box technology and the women-owned Jacksonville Small and Emerging Business behind it. In fact, AnuVision Technologies just presented Jax Tech Fest, a citywide movement to position Jacksonville as a leading hub for technology. Mayors greet travelers at airports across the country and use multimedia platforms to promote their cities as tourist destinations. This is just a new and innovative way to do that.
“Instead of being distracted by the constant partisan attacks on local governments, our administration will continue the work to make housing, healthcare, and food costs more affordable for our citizens. I hope that state leaders will do the same.”
“The Proto Box now includes a hologram video featuring the Jacksonville Jaguars, including Executive Vice President of Football Operations and Hall of Famer Tony Boselli, as well as the Jaguars cheerleaders and Jaxson de Ville. Click here to watch the video. We continue to discuss with the airport the best content and location to welcome visitors during increased holiday traffic.
“The City of Jacksonville has spent more than 1,000 staff hours cooperating with Florida DOGE throughout this year. The opportunity cost for this time is well above the $75,000 cost of the Proto Box itself, which was funded by the Technology Solutions Division and represents a mere 0.0000375% of the city budget.”
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