Gov. Ron DeSantis is making another power grab. Late in the extended legislative session, the Republican supermajority in the state legislature expanded the authority of the governor’s office of policy and budget.

Concerned that local governments have too much diversity, equity, or inclusiveness (DEI), the new law allows the office to review local government functions, procedures, policies and expenditures.

DeSantis can now send state officials to cities and demand access to documents and personnel to root out the use of resources for DEI initiatives.

Wilton Manors’ city attorney, Kerry Ezrol, briefed city commissioners, saying state officials can also look for “evidence of gross overspending, waste, fraud, abuse or mismanagement or duplicative or redundant government functions.”

What does this mean for Wilton Manors and other municipalities? That’s still unclear. But the implications could be huge. Could the governor’s team decide that $50,000 for sponsoring Stonewall is “waste” or DEI? Could any in-kind donations, like providing street barricades, be considered out of line?

No one knows.

The current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, and next year’s budget, which runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2026, are covered.

DeSantis had already issued an executive order creating a state level DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) in Florida.