AIR DATE MARCH 23, 2023
Title: Orange County Comptroller
Discover the role of Orange County’s Comptroller and how they make sure the county’s funds and resources are used appropriately.
Guest
Orange County Comptroller Office – Phil Diamond
Transparency in Government Includes Access to Public Records
Many people look at public records to get information about others. After all, it can be used to discover bankruptcy filings, criminal cases, and physical addresses.
Public records are also a crucial aspect of holding our government leaders accountable. They vindicate our rights while allowing us to make informed decisions about our neighborhoods and communities.
I recently spoke with Phil Diamond, who serves as the Comptroller for Orange County.
“Anytime somebody wants to look at a public record, we’ve tried to make it as easy as possible,” Diamond told me. “We have a link on our website where somebody can just click [it] and send an email.”
Many Public Records Requests Are Free
Diamond told me there could be charges for some public records requests, but most are fulfilled without cost.
“If it’s something that is easy to find we’ll just send it to people,” Diamond said. “People will call and say they’d like a copy of their deed or mortgage. We’ll just direct them right to our website because all that stuff is online.”
When a request takes time to research, there could be a charge based on how long it takes. Diamond told me that his primary goal is to have as many items online as possible while having search tools and filters to make finding specific information or content easy.
“If somebody’s trying to find out what happened at the board meeting involving a zoning matter in their neighborhood, they don’t want to sit through six hours of other stuff,” Diamond said. “They want to see the meeting they’re interested in.”
All Audit Reports Are Available Online
“If somebody sees fraud, waste, or abuse we have a fraud waste and abuse hotline,” said Diamond. “All our audit reports, the investigations that we’ve released, are all on the website.”
He told me they’ve had many great tips come from taxpayers about things the office should know about and can investigate.
“If someone thinks something is suspicious,” Diamond said, “let us know about it. We’ll talk to you. We’ll hear what you have to say, and you know we will look into anything that people send to us.”
It’s essential to have this information available because it allows people to see how their taxpayer money is being utilized. “I think people are willing to pay for government, but they want to see the services they’re getting and [funds] used the way they should be.”
Why Orange County Sets a Different Standard
Unlike every other county in Florida, Orange County independently elects someone to fill the Comptroller position.
In most other counties, the Clerk of Court serves a dual role as the Comptroller. Diamond told me that he thinks this way is better. “I think if you look at the duties of the clerk of the court and the duties of the Comptroller, I can tell you for a fact that the duties of the comptroller are a full-time job by themselves,” he said. “This allows the citizens of Orange County to have someone focused on everything we do.”
That structure means the focus can stay on protecting public assets and providing heightened transparency. Diamond gave me the example of his property accounting team. “They make sure that all the assets that taxpayers have paid for are accounted for and that they’re here on Orange County property,” he said, “whether it’s at a rec center, whether it’s at a firehouse, whether it’s in the administration building or one of the other buildings.”
He told me the county spends good money on those assets and wants to maintain those investments. Once items have reached the end of their useful life, they’ll be auctioned off. “We do it online, so anybody can participate,” said Diamond.
More information about the Comptroller and access to public records is available at OCCOMPT.com.
