News Summary
Florida’s CFO Blaise Ingoglia claims Jacksonville has overtaxed its residents by over $200 million in the past five years, based on an audit of the city’s budget. He recommends a reduction in the millage rate, potentially saving residents up to $600 per year. Mayor Donna Deegan acknowledges budget pressures, emphasizing investments in public safety. While a review of the budget is underway, discussions on property tax collection practices are also being investigated amid rising tax rates.
Jacksonville—Florida’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Blaise Ingoglia visited Jacksonville and stated that the city has overtaxed its residents by more than $200 million over the past five years. This claim was based on an audit conducted by his office that evaluated the city’s fiscal budget from the 2019-2020 year through the 2024-2025 budget.
The audit examined three years under Republican Mayor Lenny Curry and two years under Democratic Mayor Donna Deegan’s administration. Ingoglia noted that the calculations indicated the city government was over-taxing and overspending by $199,853,114, with possibilities that the actual figure could be between $230 million and $240 million.
To alleviate this financial burden, Ingoglia recommended a reduction of the millage rate by 1.19 mils, which could provide property tax relief to Jacksonville residents, potentially saving them up to $600 per year. He argued that the increase in the city’s budget was unwarranted, particularly as the Jacksonville population grew by 56,605 people over the five years reviewed.
Ingoglia criticized the pace of government hiring, pointing out that for every 88 new residents, the city added one new government employee, a trend he deemed unsustainable. Furthermore, city salaries reportedly increased by over 23% in just four years, significantly outpacing inflation and state employee raises.
Mayor Deegan’s office acknowledged the current budget pressures; however, they emphasized that Jacksonville maintains the lowest property tax rate among major cities in Florida. They attributed increases in the budget to necessary investments in public safety and infrastructure, which contribute to a high quality of life for residents. Deegan contended that Ingoglia did not account for the added expenses related to public safety, including the hiring of hundreds of new police officers and a 22% salary raise for first responders.
Despite Deegan’s defense, Ingoglia maintained that all expenses, including those related to public safety raises, were considered in his analysis, which still resulted in a projected $200 million excess in the budget. Deegan extended an invitation to Ingoglia’s team for further discussions and noted that all budgets had passed through super-majority Republican City Councils.
Amidst these controversies, the Florida Department of Revenue (DOGE) is investigating Jacksonville’s property tax collection practices, following a 57% increase in property tax since 2020 that allegedly outpaced both inflation and population growth. City leadership has claimed a history of ensuring tax rates reflect growth without disproportionately raising the burden on residents.
Ingoglia highlighted a similar property tax revolt that occurred in the mid-2000s as a precedent for reducing government costs. While Deegan acknowledged the proposed millage rate reductions, she emphasized ongoing challenges in addressing pressing social needs while managing budget constraints.
The full City Council is set to vote on the final budget on September 23, with discussions surrounding the millage rate scheduled for September 9. The outcome of these discussions may have significant implications for Jacksonville residents, who could experience alterations to their tax burdens depending on the decisions made by city officials.
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Additional Resources
- Florida Voice News
- News4Jax
- The Florida Times-Union
- First Coast News
- Wikipedia: Property Tax
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Tax
Author: STAFF HERE JACKSONVILLE WRITER
The JACKSONVILLE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREJacksonville.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Jacksonville, Duval County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Riverside Arts Market, and World of Nations Celebration. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce and JAXUSA Partnership, plus leading businesses in logistics, healthcare, and entertainment that power the local economy such as CSX Corporation, Baptist Health, and VyStar Credit Union. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREOrlando.com, HEREStPetersburg.com, HERETallahassee.com, and HERETampa.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Florida's dynamic landscape.
