Blaise Ingoglia, Chief Financial Officer of Florida, said on March 24 that statewide reviews have identified over $2 billion in what he described as reckless spending by local government officials. The statement was made during a presentation in Lecanto, where Ingoglia discussed findings from the Florida Agency for Fiscal Oversight regarding Citrus County’s finances.
The topic is significant as lawmakers and residents continue to debate measures aimed at easing homeowner costs, particularly in counties experiencing population growth and rising home values. Ingoglia said, “We have now identified over $2 billion dollars in reckless spending caused by local government officials who have forgotten that they are spending taxpayer funds. My role as CFO is to put an end to this irresponsible behavior by exposing wasteful spending to the taxpayers. Our analysis shows that property tax relief is very much possible and desperately needed,” according to his remarks during the presentation as reported by the Florida Department of Financial Services.
The review examined general fund trends since fiscal year 2019-2020 against population changes and other factors to inform elected officials ahead of upcoming budget decisions. The presentation drew attention to spending patterns in Citrus County as part of broader local government accountability efforts according to the Florida Department of Financial Services.
Citrus County has a median home value of $280,900 and an average annual property tax bill of $1,711, with an effective rate of 0.61%, according to 2026 data. While below the statewide average of about 0.9%, these figures reflect ongoing affordability concerns as the county has added more than 15,000 residents in recent years according to FL Property Check.
Florida lawmakers are advancing proposals to ease property tax burdens, including limits on millage rates and potential phase-outs of certain non-school taxes on homesteaded properties. Some measures could appear on future ballots as part of broader efforts to control local government cost growth amid rising home values according to the Florida Association of Counties.
Ingoglia previously served in both chambers of the Florida Legislature and chaired the Republican Party of Florida before becoming CFO. He also built a business career as a mortgage broker after moving to Florida in 1996 according to his official biography.
