In Jacksonville, Florida, Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia blasted the City of Pensacola for its “Welcome to Pensacola” at the foot of the Chappie James Bridge, citing it among a list of local government expenditures that he said Florida DOGE audits determined were excessive and wasteful.
- However, the sign, which was erected in April, was funded solely with state and federal dollars. NO local property taxes were used. None.
History Lesson
In 2022, the Florida Department of Transportation awarded the City of Pensacola $370,000 for a welcome sign to replace the Five Flags Plaza, which was removed by FDOT during the construction of the Chappie James Bridge. The grant was based on the 2018 agreement, in which the City transferred property to FDOT for the construction of the Pensacola Bay Bridge Project. FDOT, in turn, agreed to complete $370,000 worth of design and improvements for a welcome sign.
- In 2024, the FDOT agreed to provide the City with an additional $100,000 to cover rising construction costs. After receiving the bids, the actual budget for the sign was $600,142. The City used American Rescue Plan Act funds to pay for the remainder of the project.
Read Memorandum.
DOGE Audit
In August, a team of approximately eight auditors from the state’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) conducted a two-day review of municipal operations. The state has yet to give the City an official report on its findings. Typical audits allow those being audited to respond to findings before a final report is issued.
“The vast majority of the questions are the exact same questions being asked in every city, in every county,” Reeves said at his weekly press conference on Aug. 19. “I think there’s a perception that there was some type of legwork done on all of these issues, uniquely to Pensacola. The Green New Deal, the Solar, the DEI, the procurement, the salary type of questions are all very consistent with what’s happening around the state.”
City officials cooperated with the audit team. The mayor said, “All we can do is answer any questions that they have, be as open as possible about anything we have not stood in their way or take an issue or been adverse or protested any requests.”
The mayor described the interactions as “cordial” and “professional,” with city staff meeting every information request.
- “We have the utmost security in the fact that we are good stewards of the taxpayer dollar,” Reeves stated, noting the City’s bond rating and clean annual audit history.
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FDOT agreed to pay for the sign in exchange of the city giving up Five Flags Plaza. The FDOT money could not have been spent any other way. The other lost point is the CFO used the sign at an event about cutting property taxes – no property taxes were spent on the sign.
Thank you for commenting – Rick
Even though it wasn’t local taxpayer alone money….it was paid for by us…the taxpayers. While I don’t oppose the expense, I liked the flags better