SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – After a heated scuffle over taxes earlier this month, Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia has finally sent a letter to Seminole County to help resolve the matter.
The issue first cropped up around the start of the month when Ingoglia accused the Republican-led county of overspending by nearly $50 million more than it should have, when accounting for population growth and inflation.
These accusations came out in the wake of a large property tax hike in the county that was approved in September — the first one in roughly 16 years.
[BELOW: Seminole County commissioners OK property tax hike]
“Unfortunately, it seems that local governments are only willing to reduce property taxes when they’re forced to. That’s why property tax reform is so vital,” Ingoglia said at the time. “Seminole County’s refusal to listen to taxpayers is as tone-deaf as it is bewildering.”
The move came amid a greater push by figures like Ingoglia and Gov. Ron DeSantis to uncover “wasteful spending” in the state.
Ingoglia said earlier this year that the mission seeks to highlight examples of poor spending to better inform constituents ahead of a planned property tax reform amendment that could appear on the 2026 general election ballot.
However, Seminole County leaders soon pushed back against Ingoglia’s claims, saying that there were other factors that the CFO had overlooked.
[BELOW: Florida CFO Ingoglia discusses DOGE, “Alligator Alcatraz” and more with News 6]
“While that assumption may work in theory, it overlooks state-imposed mandates; essential service demands; and community-supported programs that drive legitimate cost growth well beyond population and inflation,” a letter from the county reads.
In fact, the letter claims that the county’s total budget has risen by over 50% since 2020.
“Public safety is one of the largest cost drivers and the area most affected by inflationary pressures unique to government operations,” the letter continues. “Sheriff’s Office deputy pay has increased 60% since 2020 to remain competitive in a constrained labor market.”
The full letter sent to Ingoglia’s office by Seminole County can be read below.
On Friday, Ingoglia sent his own letter to Seminole County Chairman Jay Zembower in response to the new information.
“Thank you for providing additional insight and context regarding your budget and your budget process,” the letter reads. “We appreciate your openness, cooperation, and dialogue in an effort to better understand the details of your expenditures, both recent and historical.”
As such, Ingoglia wrote, “no further action” was needed on the county’s part.
News 6 reached out to Seminole County for a statement on Ingoglia’s latest message.
“No additional comment — we are letting the letter speak for itself,” a county spokesperson told News 6.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Ingoglia’s office provided News 6 with the following statement.
“Contrary to hyperbolic headlines, CFO Ingoglia is not “backing off” from his office’s calculations and assessment of Seminole County’s excessive and wasteful spending.
His acknowledgement of the receipt of additional information in no way, shape, or form absolves the Seminole County Commission from overtaxing and overspending residents’ hard-earned tax dollars.”
Communications Director Sydney Booker, Office of Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia
You can read through Ingoglia’s full letter below.
Breaking News Alerts
Get breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox.
Copyright 2025 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.