A newly elected Sarasota County official is facing questions over a six-figure check that arrived just days after he changed jobs.
State auditors said tax collector Mike Moran received $100,767 for supposed "transition services" from the agency he'd led for years, and that the agency couldn't produce a single record showing he'd done the work.
Here's what to know
According to Suncoast Searchlight and the Florida Trident, Moran stepped down from the Florida PACE Funding Agency on December 2, 2024, then signed a new agreement on January 1, 2025, promising six months of transition work.
Auditors found that PACE paid the full amount weeks before the agreement was set to end, with no documentation of what Moran actually did in return.
The audit stopped short of alleging a crime. It did find that the contract skipped the specific tasks and monitoring Florida law requires for public service contracts over $35,000.
"We don't look at criminal intent when conducting audits," Derek Noonan, one of the auditors who worked on the review, said.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Moran turned down an interview request. By email, he said, "Multiple attorneys reviewed my transition agreements, which were then approved by the Board of Directors at a publicly noticed meeting."
More background
PACE runs a program that helps homeowners cover the cost of projects like new roofs, hurricane-proofing and energy upgrades, with the debt repaid through their property tax bills.
The audit turned up 157 underwriting problems in homeowner agreements, 148 agreements signed in a county PACE had no authority to operate in, and about $237,000 in debit-card spending by Moran and his successor that went unchecked by the board.
Auditors also found that homeowners weren't told about their right to cancel, or given other disclosures state law requires around fees and penalties.
Mike Fasano, who used to run the tax collector office in Pasco County, didn't hold back, telling the Florida Trident, "They were spending taxpayer money like they were drunken sailors."
He also pushed back on the idea that the money was somehow private.
"If something is put on a tax bill … guess what? Those are taxes," Fasano said.
What's being done?
Ed Brodsky, the state attorney handling the case, said he plans to forward the audit's findings to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for further review, a move that could widen the scrutiny facing PACE.
The agency said it is "taking steps to make changes to internal processes." It also filed a 22-page response challenging much of the audit's findings, but left the Moran payment unaddressed.
For homeowners, these financing deals can shape a household budget for decades, and the audit suggests some borrowers never got the legal protections they were owed.
Ben Wilcox, who leads the watchdog group Integrity Florida, said the report describes a pattern that goes beyond a routine fix.
"Their defense was refuted every step of the way through the audit," Wilcox said. "They're just ignoring the law. They're just not operating legally. This really warrants a criminal investigation."
Where can I learn more?
Sarasota's audit isn't the only case that shows what can go wrong when money tied to a homeowner's tax bill isn't tracked closely. A few other stories from TCD dig into similar territory.
• In St. Louis County, homeowners faced late fees and double charges despite paying property taxes on time.
• At DHS, a push for a new $50 million private jet fueled accusations of wasteful spending.
• And in a hurricane-hit HOA community, residents said a FEMA donation for road repairs never reached damaged streets.
These situations tend to erode public trust quickly, whether the root cause is a clerical mistake, careless spending, or funds that simply can't be accounted for. Homeowners are entitled to accurate records and real oversight whenever a charge shows up on their property tax bill.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
