Who Let the DOGE Out?

Texas has convened its own DOGE committee.

The Delivery of Government Efficiency committee in the Texas House, chaired by Rep. Gio Capriglione, met for the first time last week. “We will not be passive observers. We will be enforcers of accountability now,” the chairman said in his introductory remarks. “Texas can lead the way in responsible, efficient government, [and] ensuring tax money is being responsibly should be a bipartisan goal.”

“But let me be clear, my focus is not about cutting essential services or devaluing hard working public servants. I’m here to work with you, not against you, to improve how we serve Texans.”

My colleague James Quintero has a few ideas on how to do that:

Strengthen the Texas Public Information Act. Trying to get information from public agencies is like pulling teeth. Whether it’s non-responsiveness, long delays, exorbitant cost estimates, excessive redactions, or unsearchable electronic information, the system has devolved to make it as hard as possible to understand what decisions officials are making and why. Texas should return to the goal of the TPIA as it was originally intended.

More Oversight of Federal Grants. The feds flood Texas with money. The pandemic injected more than $85 billion alone. These grants often come with conditions that can encourage even more spending by increasing dependence and creating pressure on agencies to fill the gaps. We need better oversight of the strings attached to the money coming in from Washington.

Prepare the “Death Star” Bill to Fire. Texas passed the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act last session, which reigns in local regulatory burdens that make it harder for Texans to work and run a business. Local governments seem to be largely ignoring the law. DOGE could instruct a state agency to begin documenting if and how applicable rules, regulations, and ordinances are being reduced to preserve Texas’ culture of limited government.

Texans are in the enviable position of having a state government that generally demonstrates fiscal responsibility and discipline. As a result, Texas has the 8^th largest economy in the world, was the first state to pre-pandemic job levels,  regularly generates a surplus, and prioritizes tax relief. But all governments are inherently inefficient and wasteful at times, even ours. The DOGE committee could take our state to even a greater level of prosperity through improved transparency and oversight.

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