27-02-2025
Ayotte's COGE holds first meeting: What to know about the DOGE copy in New Hampshire
New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte's newly created, DOGE-like Commission of Government Efficiency (COGE) was set to hold their first meeting on Wednesday.
The commission's aim is to ensure the state government runs 'as efficiently and effectively as possible,' according to Ayotte.
It mirrors the federal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which was set up by executive order in President Donald Trump's first day back in office to find ways to cut spending and regulations in the federal government. It has since slashed federal programs like USAID and laid off federal employees across the government.
While Elon Musk was first named as the head of the department, it was revealed Tuesday that former US Digital Service official Amy Gleason is the acting DOGE administrator.
Here's what to know about New Hampshire's version of DOGE.
Ayotte created COGE in her first executive order as Governor on Jan. 9.
It is an advisory committee led by former Gov. Craig Benson and Bedford business Andy Crews as co-chairs.
'COGE will put proposals on my desk to streamline government, cut spending, and ensure we're doing everything we can to create value for taxpayers,' Ayotte said.
The commission has 15 members total, with 13 picked by the governor, one state representative picked by the House speaker, and one state senator picked by the Senate president. The members include NH House Speaker Rep. Sherman Packard, R-Londonderry and Sen. Mark McConkey, R-Freedom, as well as several people involved in the private sector.
According to Ayotte's executive order, COGE members will serve a term of two years with the option of additional terms.
Ayotte said that COGE will find programs to reduce or eliminate to deal with a revenue shortfall in the state.
'We need to make sure that government is operating more like the lean process in manufacturing, where waste is eliminated at each stage in the process, to produce better results,' she said in her first speech as governor.
On Jan. 24, Ayotte launched a portal where New Hampshire citizens could submit proposals or ideas for COGE.
'Our team is seeking feedback from Granite Staters on how we can make our government more efficient and effective for all of New Hampshire,' she said on X.
This too is like DOGE, which set up an email hotline for people to submit ideas.
The New Hampshire Democratic Party called COGE a 'desperate attempt' to 'draw the attention and praise' of Trump and Musk in a press release.
NHDP Chairman Ray Buckley said that the committee, which includes many people who donated to Ayotte's gubernatorial campaign, is 'rife with conflicts of interest.'
New Hampshire isn't the only state to set up its own version of DOGE.
On Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the creation of a Florida State Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) task force.
In early February, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt created DOGE-OK and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds made the Iowa DOGE task force through executive orders.
Other states, too, are making efforts to add some form of DOGE to their state government, including Georgia, Missouri, Texas and Wisconsin.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH COGE: What to know about the DOGE copy in New Hampshire
