Gainesville Voters Again Back City Control of GRU With Landslide Vote

Overview

• Gainesville residents approved a charter amendment with more than 75% support to return Gainesville Regional Utilities oversight to the City Commission, surpassing a 73% yes vote that a judge voided in 2024.
• Because the GRU Authority was created by a 2023 state law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the current board is expected to continue daily operations until the legal status of the referendum is resolved.
• Alachua County Circuit Judge George Wright denied the Authority’s request to stop Tuesday’s election after the board argued the vote disenfranchised more than 30,000 non-city customers.
• GRU CEO Ed Bielarski said the vote has no legal effect without a court order or legislative change and cited a $177 million debt reduction and an average electric bill drop from $156 to $137 since the Authority took over.
• Backers of restoring city control credit lower fuel costs for rate declines and accuse the Authority of raising rooftop solar fees, cutting low-income programs, and withholding about $6.8 million a year from the city’s general fund.