Pinellas County commissioners passed a resolution in April that highlighted their willingness to cede influence over the local taxpayer-funded budget to state appointees. They now have no choice.
The Florida Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has selected the county for further review and on-site inspections. A letter obtained by the Catalyst states that the agency must access “physical premises, data systems and responsive personnel” Aug. 7 and 8.
The letter, dated July 28, begins by noting that county officials have reduced property tax rates in recent years. However, DOGE wrote that rising values have caused those revenues to soar by $220 million since 2020…