A years-long fight over who should control Gainesville Regional Utilities is moving closer to a conclusion after the Florida Legislature approved a bill reinforcing state oversight of the city-owned utility.
Supporters say the measure protects customers who live outside Gainesville city limits but still rely on GRU services. Because those customers cannot vote in city elections or referendums, lawmakers backing the bill argue that state oversight provides a more representative system.
City leaders and some Gainesville residents strongly disagree. They argue the bill takes decision-making power away from local voters and places it in the hands of a governor-appointed authority board that residents cannot remove through elections.
The authority board was created by state lawmakers in 2023, shifting control of GRU away from the Gainesville City Commission. The debate over the utility’s governance has intensified in recent years after a 2022 state audit found it was $1.7 billion in debt.
In 2024, Gainesville voters approved a referendum to return control of the utility to the city. A judge later voided that vote, ruling that language in the ballot summary could have misled voters.
Now that the bill has passed the Legislature, it awaits the governor’s action. If it is not vetoed within 15 days of being presented to him, the measure will become law.