Manatee seeks applicants interested in DOGE-style committee

Manatee County’s government is looking for five citizens with specialized expertise to form a committee intended to work with Florida’s State Department of Governmental Efficiency.

Created by Gov. Ron DeSantis in February, the statewide task force aims to mimic similar federal efforts to “further eliminate waste within state government, save taxpayers money and ensure accountability in Florida,’’ a statement from the governor’s office said heralding the creation of the new state office.

In Manatee County, the Government Efficiency Liaison Committee is looking for members with experience in accounting, finance, information technology, economics, auditing or human resources. Members would meet monthly for a year, unless the effort is extended by a vote of the Manatee County Commission.

“The Government Efficiency Liaison Committee is being created to help the county work with the State of Florida on its DOGE efforts,” said Manatee County District 4 Commissioner Mike Rahn. "This reflects Manatee County’s ongoing commitment to building the most efficient and effective government possible. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, and we know there’s always room to improve.”

At a recent Manatee County Commission meeting, Chair George Kruse described Manatee County’s government as “lean.” Kruse cited a recent presentation he heard at a housing conference. As a response to Governor Ron DeSantis’ push to lower and eventually eliminate property taxes, the Florida Legislature Office of Economic and Demographic Research analyzed how reliant Florida counties are on ad valorem taxes to pay for services.

Manatee County ranked eighth on a list of the 10 least-reliant counties.

 Anyone interested must complete the online application on the Apply for an Advisory Board page, which includes answering the supplemental questions, completing a background check, and providing a resume. Deadline to apply is July 18.

Meetings are planned on the fourth Tuesday of each month. For information, contact Stephanie Garrison at 748-4501, ext. 5323, or [email protected].