The Broward County Board of County Commissioners is suing Broward tax collector Abbey Ajayi over more than $8 million it says it is owed.
As part of transitioning tax collector services from county department to independent agency in 2024, the county allowed the Ajayi to use its personnel and financial systems to run her operations — a service the county says came at a cost of $15.1 million.
At the end of that financial year, Ajayi's department stated it had $0 of expenses while generating $17 million in revenue. But the county says it was only paid around $7 million from that revenue, and that the rest was distributed to other local government agencies.
The county says that Ajayi's office should have paid the remainder of the county's expenses — roughly $8 million — and then distributed the remaining $2 million.
After efforts to settle out of court, the commission voted to formally file a lawsuit. The suit was filed on Sept. 30
In a response to the commission before the lawsuit was filed, Ajayi says the county agreed the money used in the transition would not be reimbursed.
She also says the county is asking for money the tax collector no longer has. She cited two independent auditor, one of which was the county's own, who said the costs in question were county expenses. She called the issue a "a dispute the County’s own documents do not support."
READ MORE: Tax Collector settles with Broward Inspector General, admits wrongdoing
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