Orange County Government Under Fire: A Pattern of Poor Spending

Orange County leaders are in hot water. Governor Ron DeSantis and state officials are taking a hard look at how local Democrats have been spending taxpayer money. What they found is not good news for families who work hard to pay their taxes.

The Big Picture: Too Much Spending

Orange County has raised taxes on homeowners by $330 million each year for the past five years. This is an increase of over 50%, according to state officials. That means families are paying much more money to the county government than they did just five years ago.

The county's total spending has grown by over $1.6 billion over the last five years, which represents a 57% increase in spending. That's a lot of money coming out of taxpayers' pockets.

Now the state's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is stepping in to audit Orange County. They want to see exactly where all this money is going and whether it's being spent wisely.

Development Plans Blocked by State

Orange County Democrats spent years and millions of dollars creating something called "Vision 2050" - their master plan for development. But the state stepped in and Florida has leaned on a new law to block Orange County's master development guidelines.

The state blocked these plans because they would have put more restrictions on property owners. Vision 2050 largely updates the county's guidelines to discourage suburban sprawl and the development of still-untouched rural areas. In other words, county leaders wanted to tell people what they could and couldn't do with their own land.

Immigration Showdown: County Leaders Cave

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, a Democrat, tried to refuse working with federal immigration officials. He and other commissioners didn't want to help transport illegal immigrants to federal detention centers.

But when the state threatened to remove them from office, they quickly changed their tune. Demings' capitulation on the issue came shortly before Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet appeared in Orlando Friday morning.

Commissioner Christine Moore, a Republican, was honest about why they gave in: "What good does it do for us to end up with seven Glen Gilzeans?" She was referring to another DeSantis appointee who had caused spending problems.

The whole showdown showed that county Democrats were more interested in political games than following the law and protecting taxpayers.

What the State is Looking For

The DOGE audit will examine many areas where Orange County might be wasting money:

- County contracts and how much they pay workers

- Property management costs  

- Money spent on homeless services

- Transportation projects like roundabouts and bike lanes

- Diversity, equity and inclusion programs

Gov. Ron DeSantis has tasked the Florida DOGE with identifying and reporting on excessive spending at the county and municipal levels.

County Leaders Make Excuses

Orange County officials are trying to explain away their high spending. Since 2020, Orange County has grown by approximately 81,000 residents, Mayor Demings said in a statement.

County Comptroller Phil Diamond points out that property tax rates hadn't been raised for 17 years before they were hiked a year ago to expand fire and rescue services.

But taxpayers are asking: if the county is growing and more people are paying taxes, why do they need to raise taxes so much? Shouldn't more people paying mean the burden goes down for everyone?

The Glen Gilzean Problem

One example of poor oversight involves Glen Gilzean, a DeSantis appointee who was Election Supervisor for 10 months. He tried to use $2.1 million in taxpayer funds to create a scholarship fund at Valencia College in his own name, among other fiscal problems, officials said.

This case shows what can happen when there's no proper oversight of government spending. County commissioners worry about more appointees like Gilzean if they don't cooperate with state officials.

The Real Problem: No Accountability

What these scandals show is a pattern of poor leadership by Orange County Democrats. They seem to think taxpayer money is their personal piggy bank. They spend millions on failed development plans and programs that many residents don't want or need.

Meanwhile, regular families are struggling with higher property taxes, rising costs for basic services, and less money in their pockets at the end of each month.

County Commissioner Mayra Uribe, who is running for mayor next year, said about the state audit: "I don't know where this is warranted from". This shows how out of touch these leaders are with what taxpayers are thinking.

Governor DeSantis Takes Action

Governor DeSantis has made it clear that he won't let local governments waste taxpayer money without consequences. "If you don't meet your obligations under that under the law, if you don't fulfill the duties that have been imposed upon you, you absolutely will be suspended", DeSantis said.

The governor is also providing grant money to help local governments with things like immigration enforcement, so counties can't use cost as an excuse for not following the law.

What This Means for Taxpayers

Orange County residents deserve better. They work hard for their money, and they should expect their local government to spend it wisely and carefully.

Instead, they're getting:

- Higher property taxes year after year

- Failed development plans that cost millions

- Political games instead of good government

- Leaders who make excuses instead of taking responsibility

- Poor oversight that leads to wasteful spending

The state audit will likely find more examples of wasteful spending. The question is: will Orange County voters remember this when election time comes around?

The Bottom Line

Orange County's Democratic leadership has shown a pattern of poor judgment with taxpayer money. From failed development plans to refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, they seem more interested in their own priorities than what's best for working families.

Governor DeSantis and state officials are right to step in and demand accountability. Orange County residents pay some of the highest taxes in Florida, and they deserve to know where every dollar goes.

The upcoming DOGE audit will shine a light on years of questionable spending decisions. It's time for Orange County leaders to explain to taxpayers why they've been treated like an ATM machine.

Voters in Orange County should ask themselves: do they want leaders who spend their money on failed pet projects and political posturing, or do they want responsible government that puts taxpayers first?

The choice will be theirs to make at the ballot box.

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David Washington is The Orlando Voice’s Political Manager/Editor and CEO of J & Washington LLC, a political consulting firm specializing in political strategy and public affairs. Join the T8020 Community and discover how tokenized civic engagement is reshaping political participation. Learn more about The Orlando Voice and the T8020 token at T8020Orlando.com.