After a considerable outcry from Orange County officials and the community, CareerSource Central Florida has returned a controversial $1.9 million grant to Orange County. Initially provided by the Supervisor of Elections, the grant sparked a debate over the use of taxpayer money when it was discovered that funds designated for election-related purposes were earmarked for other projects, including scholarships and job training for temporary election workers. According to a WFTV report, the decision to return the funds comes after powerful criticism from county leaders.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and Comptroller Phil Diamond, in a joint statement detailed by WFTV, expressed their approval of CareerSource's action to terminate the contract, emphasizing that "The monies rightfully belong to the taxpayers of Orange County." They further indicated that the returned funds had already been deposited for general fund use, with the promise that the Board of County Commissioners would soon decide on the most appropriate way to utilize these resources to benefit the Orange County residents.
The original agreement, signed by Glen Gilzean on September 30, was intended to provide job training and permanent employment opportunities for over 100 temporary elections staff members. The funds were also part of a separate deal with Valencia College, offering $2.1 million in scholarships, as WFTV reported. However, none of the county commissioners were consulted about these allocations, leading to disputes over their legitimacy and appropriate use.
In an interview, as reported by WESH, Gilzean defended his actions, stating, “The mayor and some board of county commissioners are on a partisan witch hunt to skewer a political opponent. Our office did an excellent job of managing the 2024 election and we intend to keep our promise to leave this office and our community better off than before.” Despite these claims, county officials had considered litigious action to address the alleged misallocation of taxpayer money designated for the elections office.
Gilzean, appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier in the year, did not seek election for the post and will be succeeded by Orange County School Board member Karen Castor Dentel in January. Amidst the controversy, discussions in Tallahassee have begun regarding potential legislative changes to constrain the spending powers of constitutional officers in the future.
