Florida CFO claims Nassau County overspent by $53 million

A state audit led by Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia found Nassau County overspent by more than $53 million, according to findings presented Wednesday during the CFO’s statewide audit tour.

The county has increased their budget over the past five years by over 96 percent while the population has only increased by 18 percent, the CFO reported.

The Nassau County General Fund Budget has increased by $96,206,198 since fiscal year (FY) 2019-2020. However, only 16,597 residents have moved to the county during the same span of time. For every new citizen that moved to Nassau County, the budget increased by $5,797 and for a family of four, the budget increased by $23,188.

“This is not a political issue,” Ingoglia told county officials and residents during his presentation. “This is not Republican versus Democrat. This is a math problem.”

Ingoglia said his office reviewed Nassau County’s budgets over multiple fiscal years and found spending increases that significantly outpaced population growth and inflation.

“When government spending grows faster than the people’s ability to pay for it, the people eventually lose,” he said. “You can only pull from reserves for so long before you hit a wall.”

According to Ingoglia, Nassau County spent or committed approximately $53 million beyond what his office considers sustainable, including the use of reserves and what he described as aggressive budget expansions.

“You can’t spend money you don’t have forever,” Ingoglia said. “At some point, the bill comes due, and that bill is paid by the taxpayers.”

Nassau County Commissioner A.M. "Hupp" Huppmann said from Tallahassee that he needed more information about the CFO's audit before commenting. 

County Commissioner John Martin said he had not viewed video of the press conference, but said he would direct county staff to review the CFO's findings before commenting.

"I did not attend the press conference. A video was posted on the Florida Channel. However, it was taken down before I could view it," Martin said. "I intend to review the press conference in its entirety and will direct County Staff to research the CFO's allegations before I comment. Hopefully, the CFO will provide us with his auditors' report that justified these allegations."

Martin criticized the manner in which the state’s findings were presented, saying he objected less to the review itself than to how the information was released to the public.

"It's disappointing that the CFO resorts to these 'shock jock' tactics," Martin said. "A more professional approach would have been to have his team of auditors meet with County Staff to analyze the concerns voiced in the press conference versus just throwing out what may be unsubstantiated allegations."

Ingoglia emphasized that the audit tour is intended to promote fiscal accountability rather than assign criminal blame.

“This is not an investigation. No one is going to jail,” he said. “But ignoring these numbers would be irresponsible.”

Ingoglia responded that growth alone does not explain the scale of spending increases.

“Every county in Florida is growing,” he said. “But not every county is spending like this.”

He also pushed back on arguments that reserve spending was justified.

“Reserves are not a revenue source,” Ingoglia said. “They are a safety net. Once you drain them, you don’t have a parachute anymore.”

Critics of the CFO’s audit tour methodology have argued that the analyses rely on high-level comparisons that may oversimplify local government finances and fail to account for legally restricted spending, voter-approved projects, and one-time capital expenditures.

One recurring criticism is that the audits compare spending growth primarily to population growth and inflation, a framework opponents state does not fully reflect the costs faced by fast-growing counties. Local governments experiencing rapid development often incur upfront infrastructure expenses — such as roads, utilities, public safety facilities, and stormwater systems — that may not align neatly with year-to-year population increases.

Ingoglia warned that continued spending at current levels could force future boards to raise taxes or fees, even if current officials avoid doing so.

“You may not raise taxes today,” he said. “But if you lock in spending, you are guaranteeing someone else will have to raise them tomorrow.”

Jeff Freese, Owner of Ash Street Cigar Parlor in Fernandina Beach, said, "Small business owners like me are reliant on customers having expendable income to spend at our businesses. Rising property taxes have a cascading negative effect on businesses, our employees, and small business owners. We just want to make a fair living and have a conduit to be heard as voting citizens. Thank you, CFO Ingoglia, for your commitment to supporting taxpayers." 

The CFO urged county leaders to adopt what he called a “reset mindset,” including slowing spending growth and reevaluating long-term obligations.

“This is about protecting the people who live here,” Ingoglia said. “They expect their government to live within its means, just like they have to.”

Ingoglia said his office will continue to review Nassau County financial data and issue recommendations aimed at improving transparency and sustainability. No enforcement actions have been announced.

The audit tour stop comes as Nassau County officials continue debating impact fees, mobility fees, and major capital projects, with pressure mounting over how to fund growth without increasing the burden on residents.