Florida Center for Government Accountability

Florida Center for Government Accountability The FLCGA, a nonpartisan nonprofit, focuses on government accountability and transparency in FL.

FLCGA Executive Director Michael Barfield recently spoke with WUSF about how the courts' opinion in his 2014 public reco...
06/04/2026

FLCGA Executive Director Michael Barfield recently spoke with WUSF about how the courts' opinion in his 2014 public records case could inform the legality of modern ICE directives.

In 2014, Michael Barfield sued the City of Sarasota after officials refused to hand over public records they said were under federal control. He told WUSF it's the same argument being made now by ICE directives.

There's a difference between cutting taxes and changing who controls government. Florida is not debating a tax cut. Flor...
06/02/2026

There's a difference between cutting taxes and changing who controls government. Florida is not debating a tax cut. Florida is debating a fundamental redesign of how local government is financed.

Everyone is talking about property taxes. Almost nobody is talking about power. That's strange because power, not taxes, is what this debate is really

“Why they do or don't get money is of critical public importance and interest, and it all happens behind closed doors,” ...
05/31/2026

“Why they do or don't get money is of critical public importance and interest, and it all happens behind closed doors,” says FLCGA CEO & Publisher Barbara Petersen. “That is making a mockery of government in the Sunshine.”

Florida legislative leaders are negotiating next year’s state budget behind closed doors — a secretive process Gov. Ron DeSantis compared to selecting a pope.

The head of the Fort Myers Police Department special enforcement division abruptly retired this week after allegations s...
05/30/2026

The head of the Fort Myers Police Department special enforcement division abruptly retired this week after allegations surfaced of his "inappropriate romantic relationship" with an HR employee.

Lieutenant Arturo Gonzalez, who led the Fort Myers Police Department’s  special enforcement division, abruptly retired this week after allegations he

A $6 million budget item benefiting the company that employs Rep. Fiona McFarland’s husband suddenly appeared in Florida...
05/26/2026

A $6 million budget item benefiting the company that employs Rep. Fiona McFarland’s husband suddenly appeared in Florida House budget negotiations. This is the latest example of a budget process that has faced criticism for its secrecy, including spending items that emerge during closed-door negotiations with beneficiaries that can be difficult to trace.

A California-based data integration company that employs the husband of Florida State Rep. Fiona McFarland (R-Sarasota) is poised to reap a multi-million

The federal corruption investigation against him was terminated last November, but Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno fa...
05/19/2026

The federal corruption investigation against him was terminated last November, but Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno faces a new inquiry into some of the same allegations — this time by the Florida Ethics Commission.

The federal corruption investigation against him was terminated last November, but Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno faces a new inquiry into some of the

Did the Collier County Sheriff’s Office second-in-command violate Florida’s unlawful compensation law in his business de...
05/07/2026

Did the Collier County Sheriff’s Office second-in-command violate Florida’s unlawful compensation law in his business dealings with Bourque Industries? While an internal investigation concluded there was no wrongdoing and the allegations were “not sustained,” former Sheriff Don Hunter argues the inquiry had major shortcomings and failed to properly test the facts.

When a penny stock company in Arizona called Bourque Industries was looking to sell a new form of protective body armor to law enforcement agencies around

Thank you to the Orlando Sentinel for covering our recent 5th Anniversary Celebration! We are so grateful to everyone wh...
05/05/2026

Thank you to the Orlando Sentinel for covering our recent 5th Anniversary Celebration! We are so grateful to everyone who was able to join us last month.

The Florida Center for Governmental Accountability has adopted the mission of cutting through the secrecy of Florida politics, one of several nonpartisan organizations fighting for the public’s right to know.

The Tampa Bay Rays want $1 billion in tax subsidies as elections loom and political attacks have begun, stirring memorie...
04/25/2026

The Tampa Bay Rays want $1 billion in tax subsidies as elections loom and political attacks have begun, stirring memories of the seismic political fallout of the Miami Marlins.

In the next few weeks, seven Hillsborough County commissioners and seven Tampa City Council members may take what could be the most financially impactful

After passing a new anchoring rule, Palm Beach cleared out dozens of boaters moored in the Lake Worth Lagoon -- includin...
04/23/2026

After passing a new anchoring rule, Palm Beach cleared out dozens of boaters moored in the Lake Worth Lagoon -- including many who had been there for decades. This push was publicly credited to Sylvester Stallone, who complained about “looky‑loos” near his $35M estate. So far, long‑time boaters haven't had success in fighting back.

Of all the large lavish mansions lining the northern end of Palm Beach looking west on Lake Worth Lagoon, the one owned by Sylvester Stallone is

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