TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV\/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) – Florida voters will choose a Republican and Democratic candidate for state chief financial officer in Tuesday\u2019s primary, setting up a general election matchup for one of the state cabinet\u2019s offices.<\/p>\n
The CFO oversees insurance, audits and serves as Florida\u2019s state fire marshal.<\/p>\n
Current CFO Blaise Ingoglia is seeking to remain in the position but faces a Republican primary challenge from Dr. Frank Collige.<\/p>\n
Ingoglia has held the office since Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed him last year after former CFO Jimmy Patronis left the position to run for Congress.<\/p>\n
During his time in office, Ingoglia has announced audits, immigration enforcement funding and overseen the state\u2019s fire marshals. <\/p>\n
He declined to be interviewed for this story but has previously discussed his approach to local government spending.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s more than enough for (school districts) to cut the administrative costs, deliver a world-class education and still give teachers raises,\u201d he said in May.<\/p>\n
On hurricanes, Ingoglia said the state spends a lot of money on rebuilding, but might be able to spend more on prevention.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe spend a lot of time a lot of money and a lot of resources after a storm putting our community back together… I think we need to start taking a more proactive role to this,\u201d Ingoglia said earlier this year.<\/p>\n
Florida Politics<\/p>\n
Collige said he remained in the race because he believes Florida\u2019s government is on the side of insurance companies, not the consumers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got sick and tired of insurance companies taking advantage of Floridians and no one in Tallahassee is willing to step up and fight them,\u201d Collige said.<\/p>\n
He added that he would also enlist journalists and government watchers to keep governments in check.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been calling this out from day one. Make every jurisdiction report their budget line by line and then make it public and let us, the people, audit our elected officials,\u201d Collige said.<\/p>\n
Two democrats are also competing for their party\u2019s nomination: former state sen. Annette Taddeo and her opponent Earle Ford.<\/p>\n
Both democratic candidates have called for investigations into \u201cno-bid\u201d state contracts, including those involving Alligator Alcatraz and Hope Florida.<\/p>\n
Taddeo said her experience as a former state senator sets her apart in the race.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo audits. What? That is in statute. That is in law. That is something that automatically you are supposed to do,\u201d Taddeo said.<\/p>\n
She said those \u201cno-bid\u201d contracts must be investigated.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we have seen where the CFO is responsible for doing audits on no bid contracts with emergency spending. And he just looks the other way,\u201d said Taddeo.<\/p>\n
Ford, meanwhile, said his background in government service, not politics.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo not only did the IRS give me legal experience, but also financial experience. And these things are not popular when you hear talk about audits, but ultimately the unique thing about the CFO position is it\u2019s almost a nonpartisan type position,\u201d Ford said.<\/p>\n
He said his previous military service means he can connect with everyone, even those in conservative counties.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t even know why the other stuff is lurking there, and obviously doing a deep dive in the financials of how the state\u2019s spending their money. But also at the end of the day, it\u2019s about standing on the side of the average Floridian,\u201d Ford said.<\/p>\n
One republican and one democrat will emerge from Tuesday\u2019s primary and advance to the general election, where they will compete for the CFO position. <\/p>\n
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