Politics
NEW: Pennsylvania Lawmaker Calls For State DOGE Initiative
State Senator Doug Mastriano is calling for the establishment of a Pennsylvania Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative to mirror the Trump Administration’s extensive audit of the federal government at the state level.
“In an effort to promote fiscal accountability and curb wasteful spending in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I am proud to introduce legislation aimed at establishing a Pennsylvania Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.). This initiative seeks to ensure that taxpayer funds are utilized effectively and responsibly,” the conservative senator wrote in a February 14 memo.
Unlike the federal team led by Elon Musk — which lacks the ability to legislate and can only recommend cuts to lawmakers — Mastriano’s Pennsylvania DOGE proposal would have “comprehensive authority” to audit state government agencies and the ability to halt funding immediately. While the federal DOGE committee was established via executive order, Mastriano’s committee would be accountable to the state legislature rather than the Keystone State’s Democrat Governor, Josh Shapiro.
The department could also recommend cuts to “wasteful” spending by making recommendations to a bipartisan group of lawmakers and state officials, Mastriano explained in the memo.
In addition, the Pennsylvania DOGE committee would include input from two “everyday citizens” to “provide additional perspectives and ensure community representation in fiscal decisions,” the memo continues.
“Once a final vote is determined, any payments deemed unnecessary will be suspended immediately and any “unspent” funds will be returned to the General Fund thus reinforcing our commitment to accountability and responsible governance,” Mastriano wrote. “Through the establishment of PA. D.O.G.E., we will endeavor to foster a more efficient government that serves the interests of the citizens of Pennsylvania. This initiative is a vital step in ensuring that every dollar spent is a dollar well-invested in the future of our state.”
Under Mastriano’s plan, the committee would report its activity to a bipartisan committee of members from the House and Senate, as well as representatives of the state auditor general and treasurer. Republicans currently control both of these offices.
If the Pennsylvania DOGE committee were to recommend cuts to an agency, the bipartisan committee would then vote on whether to continue its funding, the Franklin County Republican further explained.
The recommendation comes as Republican lawmakers in a number of additional states have moved to form government efficiency committees to audit their respective governments. Just days after picking up multiple seats in the November elections, Arizona Republicans moved to establish their own committee that, like Mastriano’s proposal, answers to the legislature rather than Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs.
The Arizona DOGE committee, which will be chaired by State Senator Shawnna Bolick, will use the state Legislature’s power to focus on proposed bills and recommended cuts. “Anything that has to do with red tape, anything that has to do with regulations, anything that has to do with fraud, government waste, government reform, all of those policies would be assigned to this committee,” Arizona Senate President Petersen said. He added that the committee will work closely with its counterpart in the Arizona House of Representatives, which was established by Speaker-elect Steve Montenegro. The House Committee will be chaired by State Rep. Joseph Chaplik.
State Rep. Alexander Kolodin has already provided a list of some of the most bizarre programs that are currently receiving taxpayer funds in the Grand Canyon state. “Citrus Research Council? Cuties, how do they work? Gone. Beef Research Council? Where’s the beef? More like where’s the pork? Cotton Research Council? School bus advisory council? Student Transport Advisory Council? Companion Animal Stay and Neuter Advisory Council? Sickos. Gone in this bill,” Kolodin said in an initial update last month.
