A state audit of Pinellas County is underway and it’s already causing controversy. Florida’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is currently inside county offices in Clearwater, reviewing how the county has spent taxpayer dollars over the last five years. The state launched the audit after sending a letter questioning whether some of the county’s spending was “reckless.” That letter also claimed property tax collections have increased by more than $220 million since 2020, and general fund spending has jumped by 43%. But Pinellas County Commission Chair Brian Scott says those numbers are incorrect. “There’s a big difference between what they noted in their letter, and what actually occurred,” Scott said. According to Scott, property tax collections rose by $144 million, not $220 million, and general fund spending increased by 37%, not 43%. He says the biggest increases went to the Sheriff’s Office, state-mandated retirement costs, and road and bridge repairs. “It doesn’t give you a very warm and welcome feeling when the letter suggests that we’ve been spending excessively,” he said. Still, not all commissioners are pushing back. Commissioner Vince Nowicki says he agrees with the state’s initial concerns. “I support the findings in the letter and I support the Department of Government Efficiency,” Nowicki said. He’s asked county staff to give him copies of everything shared with the auditors so he can look for inefficiencies himself. “In a broad sense, I think maybe there’s departments that don’t need so many people,” he said. “A lot of employees work remote—why aren’t they in the office? Why do we need all this space?” The state’s audit is wide-ranging. Records show DOGE has requested documents related to contracts, salaries, diversity training, and green energy initiatives. Fourteen of the state’s records requests are focused specifically on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The in-person portion of the audit is expected to wrap up tomorrow. What happens next is still unclear. County commissioners say they don’t know whether the state will send a report, recommendations, mandates, or a combination of all three. Both Scott and Nowicki say they’re open to suggestions for ways to save money and