02-04-2025
Hillsborough commissioners vote to join state DOGE effort
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Hillsborough County Commission plans to take the next step in participating in the state's effort to audit local governments.
Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed an executive order creating a Department of Government Efficiency taskforce. He previously said, 'We're asking the legislature to provide us the ability to send 'DOGE' teams down to county and city governments.'
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The newly created group will use technology and AI to look for government waste. The taskforce will audit colleges, universities, state agencies and local governments.
Wednesday, Hillsborough County commissioners voted 6-1 to send a letter to the governor agreeing to fully participate and comply in the process. They also voted on the creation of a liaison committee.
The committee will help facilitate efforts by the DOGE taskforce. The liaison committee would be made up of five qualified Hillsborough County residents voted on by the board.
In March, Commissioner Joshua Wostal proposed expediting the county's audit process. 'Every organization has waste to identify,' he said. 'We had multiple decades of never truly having one forensic audit throughout our processes of budgetary solutions.'
Wostal also suggested himself as the point of contact for DOGE. Commissioner Ken Hagan said, 'Personally, I think any contact with officials should be by staff. They are experts.'
Ultimately, the commission voted 4-3 against Wostal's proposal.
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