Seeing through the Blaise haze

Meanwhile, back in reality.

So, how was your weekend? Make it to the county fair? Take a nice drive? Get in some spring cleaning?

Mine was…adventurous. Which I’ll have some fun with in a blog later this week.

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Today, though, two subjects:

— Sales tax on its last legs.

— Blaise Ingoglia fallout.

First up, sales tax. You know it's onerous when the results of a poll to determine voter interest in a referendum are not included on Tuesday’s County Commission agenda backup.

That can mean only one thing: The results are likely not encouraging. I won't be surprised if the poll shows very little interest in a sales tax referendum for either roads and/or a land-conservation program.

The 2026 referendum is effectively dead. While there is no vote scheduled Tuesday, commissioners may indicate their willingness to drop the idea and move on.

Not to belabor the point, but I will. The County Commission’s last-minute idea to shove a land-conservation plan in with the sales tax referendum, after citizens already had momentum with a community-led effort, is the reason we’re back behind square one.

Yes, I realize the “One for All” 1% sales tax was an uphill battle. And frankly, stuff is moving at such a frantic clip around here, I’m not sure voters are ready to make that commitment right now anyway.

But the government will rue the day it decided to shove citizens out of the way of this citizen-led effort.

OK. Enough on that. Now, about our favorite CFO.

Blaise is as stoic as they come, so don’t expect crocodile tears because Citrus County didn’t warmly welcome him last week as he dropped a fiscal hammer on the county, alleging $39 million in wasted spending.

But even I’m impressed with the citizens’ response to Ingoglia’s circus. The social media reaction was overwhelmingly anti-Blaise.

It’s not that citizens have overnight fallen in love with Citrus County’s spending practices. No, it’s just that we don’t need Blaise Ingoglia to waltz in here, drop a number out of the sky, rip a bunch of insults about local politicians, then swoop off to the next deer-in-the-headlights government.

It should give commissioners pause not to overreact — citizens think the CFO’s presentation was a sham.

(And this was weird…the Chamber of Commerce calling out former Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp, now CEO of TaxWatch of Florida, for standing with Blaise. Here's my Florida Politics story.)

How I see it playing out:

Commissioner Janet Barek and Chair Diana Finegan will likely take Ingoglia’s numbers to the bank. I expect a more measured response from the other three.

Finegan, in particular, has a challenge. Ingoglia pretty much handed this thing to her and said take care of it. However, as we’ve pointed out, his number lacks substance or perspective and the public isn't buying it.

This is a significant test for her. Diana has pounded the anti-tax, cut-the-budget refrain since taking office.

If Finegan truly believes Ingoglia is spot on, I’m hoping she comes in with a detailed plan to address budget cuts. Slice-and-dice is not a plan. Across-the-board cut is not a plan. Shedding valuable staff is not a plan. Those are quick fixes in a crisis. We’re nowhere near a crisis, despite what the CFO says.

I mentioned a few weeks back that I see leadership as the defining issue in the District 2 County Commission race, currently with Finegan and Stacey Worthington. This is a huge leadership moment for Finegan.

Ingoglia is endorsing her re-election. His endorsement came at Finegan’s campaign kickoff the same day as his press conference. I mean…c’mon. Eyebrows immediately went up.

Diana's challenge is to convince a skeptical public there’s validity to Ingoglia's $39 million dagger and provide direction for board conversation on where to go from here. It's a potential tightrope...citizens will notice if she comes off as the CFO’s commissioner, if you catch my drift.

That’s it for this Monday. Have a great one, friends.

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