Hialeah has become the first city in Florida to submit its budget for review by the state's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an entity created to assess and optimize the use of public funds.
The decision to voluntarily participate in this state audit was officially announced at a press conference this Tuesday led by Mayor Esteban Bovo and the President of the City Council, Jacqueline García-Roves, who will temporarily assume the mayoralty when Bovo moves to Washington to take on a new position.
A commitment to transparency
“The city of Hialeah welcomes the state’s DOGE program. Hialeah has had its own efficiency program in place for quite some time”, stated the mayor, emphasizing that the city has always been stringent in its use of public resources.
"We have created transparency protocols so that every penny that comes into this city is accounted for," he added.
Bovo insisted that the city has not increased taxes for its residents in 13 years, despite operating with a tight budget.
“The city funds its services with the revenue and what residents can pay. We are the city with the lowest taxes in Florida,” she stated.
In that regard, he emphasized that every dollar is invested in key areas such as security, recreation, and infrastructure.
"More police, more firefighters, improvements in parks and streets. No councilor or the mayor travels with escorts," he pointed out.
The budget for Hialeah for the fiscal year 2024-2025 amounts to 574 million dollars, representing a 34.7% increase compared to the previous year.
Despite this increase, Bovo emphasized that “it is a city that has always managed itself by sharpening the pencil. There is no waste.”
Collaboration without fear
Hialeah's decision aligns with Governor DeSantis's call for municipalities to voluntarily participate in the audit process under the DOGE.
"We are working with the Florida Legislature to obtain more prescriptive authority to conduct audits of these local governments," the governor expressed in a post on X.
Although some critics have expressed concern about a potential loss of autonomy for local governments in relation to the state, Bovo remained confident.
“If the state steps in and says a program needs to be cut, it will have to show the Council and me what the solution and alternative will be. We are open to analysis,” he stated.
Likewise, he denied that this review poses a risk to municipal services or employees.
"I don't believe there is any service we offer today that we can do without," he said.
And he added, "Given its size, Hialeah should have about 2,400 employees like Orlando, but we only have 1,400. Historically, we do more with less here."
Support from the Council and common goals
The president of the Council, Jacqueline García-Roves, presented a resolution co-sponsored by the mayor to formalize cooperation with the DOGE.
"We invite the state to audit our finances. Tonight, I will be presenting a resolution alongside the mayor proposing that we voluntarily accept the audit," he stated.
From the state government, the purpose of the DOGE is clear: "to continue streamlining our government and to keep eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy," in the words of DeSantis. The model follows the example of billionaire Elon Musk, who is promoting a federal effort to reduce public spending.
A city under scrutiny
However, the decision has not been without criticism.
Political analyst Alex Penelas stated that “it is possibly the most Republican city in the state of Florida” and warned about the risk of this transfer of authority to the state: “It is part of a pattern we have been observing for several years where the state has been gradually taking power away from local governments.”
In the same critical vein, Bryan Calvo, the sole current candidate for mayor, labeled the approach to the DOGE as a political maneuver.
"The mayor and the city council have just automatically approved a pension, a retirement plan, and a deferred compensation retroactively dating back to 2021," he denounced.
"If you want ideas, here’s one: remove the pension and retirement benefits for the councilors," he said.
In response to these accusations, Bovo did not deny the challenges facing his administration, but he reaffirmed that his commitment is to efficiency and transparency.
"If they can show us a better way to do it, we are open to implementing it," he assured.
Concrete challenges: Water and the cost of living
During the conference, Bovo addressed sensitive topics such as the high cost of insurance and the situation regarding the reverse osmosis plant that Hialeah shares with Miami-Dade County.
Currently, the plant produces 8.5 million gallons daily, while the city requires 23 million. Furthermore, the production cost is double the price it would cost to purchase water from the county.
"We have a facility that the State deemed necessary. The County and Hialeah collaborated to build it. Now the County says it is no longer needed. We have invested millions and we have a debt. I believe the State can help us assess the situation and perhaps take on that debt," he proposed.
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