OP-ED from Mayor Demings on Florida DOGE Visit | August 2, 2025

This week, Orange County government will welcome members of the State of Florida's DOGE team for a two-day information gathering visit. We've spent a good deal of time preparing for this audit and intend to be fully compliant with their requests. We believe in transparency and are confident that our funding and programming decisions will stand up to their scrutiny.

During the DOGE review, we hope they will be pleased to see our yearly investment in public safety. Since 2020, we've added five new fire stations, bringing the total to 45, and reducing response times for emergencies. We recently opened a fire training facility so that new recruits are better trained to protect residents. In the upcoming fiscal year, we are planning approximately $1 billion in public safety investments for Orange County's Sheriff's Office, Fire Rescue Department, and Corrections.

Perhaps they'll notice the $23 million we invested in the Orlo Vista Flood Mitigation project so that the residents and homeowners will never again fear an oncoming hurricane or severe storm. Ahead of completion, the efforts have been tested and deemed successful.

We hope the DOGE team will be supportive of our continued programming that supports children and families. Every year, some $90 million provides more than 500 programs designed to support the unique needs of these vulnerable populations.

Surely the DOGE team will be impressed with our $160 million commitment to affordable housing. Given the rate that the County's population is growing, we are proud of our contributions toward new multifamily complexes - especially those that house seniors. Our locally initiated and controlled Housing Trust Fund is a model for Florida and the nation.

Orange County has also made significant contributions toward improving transportation. Through our $100 million Accelerated Transportation Safety Program, residents and visitors are already enjoying miles of new roads, sidewalks, and trails. By improving lighting and traffic controls, we are increasing safety on the streets.

We hope DOGE sees that Orange County reduced opioid deaths by more than 37% last year. Now in its 30th year, the Orange County Medical Clinic is expanding access to quality patient care for the underserved through community outreach and collaborative partnerships. These kinds of public health initiatives are critical for a thriving community.

I'm most proud of the seven task forces and numerous citizen engagement panels we've relied upon throughout my administration. We agree with the DOGE team in that we believe the voices of the people are critical in the decision-making process of government.

We are prepared for the DOGE team visit this week. While it may temporarily divert us from the daily business of governance, we have nothing to hide and are proud of our record of serving the residents of Orange County.

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This OP-ED was originally published to OrlandoSentinel.com on July 31, 2025.