Florida CFO Recovers Millions for Residents, Flags Billions in Local Waste | The Locally Times
CFO Blaise Ingoglia's office returned a record $58 million in forgotten funds to Floridians last September, while simultaneously identifying over $1.1 billion in 'excessive, wasteful spending' across multiple county budgets.
Florida's Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia is making headlines for two very different reasons: returning millions in forgotten funds to residents while simultaneously exposing billions in what he terms 'excessive, wasteful spending' in local government budgets. Just last September, Ingoglia's office returned a record $58 million in unclaimed property, an effort detailed in an April 4, 2026, press release from the Florida State Fire Marshal. These funds, often from dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, or insurance policy proceeds, represent the state's ongoing commitment to reuniting Floridians with their lost assets. ## Record Returns and Concurrent Scrutiny The record September return was quickly followed by another significant distribution in November 2025, with Ingoglia's office returning over $55 million in unclaimed property, as reported by the Florida State Fire Marshal on April 3, 2026. While actively returning these lost financial assets, Ingoglia has concurrently launched a sweeping review of local government budgets. This scrutiny has identified over $1.1 billion in what he labels 'excessive, wasteful spending' across the state. For instance, an April 5, 2026, press release from the Florida Department of Financial Services revealed Ingoglia's October 2025 announcement that over $189 million in Broward County's budget was deemed wasteful. Similarly, the Florida State Fire Marshal announced on April 4, 2026, that over $302 million in Miami-Dade County's budget was flagged that same month. ## Widespread Budget Assessments The financial scrutiny extended to several other major Florida localities. Florida Department of Financial Services press releases, all published today, April 5, 2026, detailed September 2025 announcements flagging over $84 million in Alachua County, more than $278 million in Hillsborough County, and $200 million in the City of Jacksonville for 'excessive, wasteful spending.' An additional April 5, 2026, press release from the same department indicated that over $48 million in Seminole County's October 2025 budget was similarly identified. Crucially, the public records available do not specify the exact components of the spending deemed excessive or wasteful in these county budgets. ## St. Lucie County and Call for Tax Relief The latest target of Ingoglia's budget review is St. Lucie County. Lucie County's General Fund Budget since Fiscal Year 2019-2020. In response, Ingoglia has publicly urged St. Lucie County's elected officials to provide significant property tax relief to residents. As with other counties, the available records do not detail the specific spending items that led to the 'excessive, wasteful' designation in St. Lucie County.