(The Center Square) — Lawmakers in both chambers of the General Assembly want to launch a Pennsylvania Department of Government Efficiency — or PA DOGE — that would be tasked with rooting out government waste and improving fiscal accountability across state agencies.
Earlier this year, Rep. Stephenie Scialabba, R-Cranberry Twp., announced plans to introduce legislation requiring the Auditor General to conduct efficiency audits of major Commonwealth spending programs.
WHAT IS DOGE? WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY
In a memo seeking co-sponsors, Scialabba stated that the federal government continues to make efficiency gains, and “it’s past time for Pennsylvania to turn our own focus to state government bloat and waste.”
A more comprehensive bill being crafted by Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Chambersburg, would establish both a PA DOGE and a bipartisan oversight committee to which it would report.
According to Mastriano’s co-sponsorship memo, the committee would consist of one House and Senate member from each party, a leadership member from both chambers, and representatives from the Treasury and Auditor General’s Offices. In addition, two “everyday citizens” would serve on the committee to provide additional insight, ensuring community representation in fiscal decisions.
The proposed department would have broad auditing authority. It would also have the ability to temporarily suspend payments pending committee review and recommend eliminating departments or agencies it deems wasteful.
TRACKING WHAT DOGE IS DOING ACROSS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Upon final vote, any payments deemed unnecessary will be suspended immediately, and any “unspent” funds returned to the General Fund – “reinforcing our commitment to accountability and responsible governance,” the memo states.
The department would be “answerable and reportable to the legislature ensuring that elected representatives – who control the purse strings – maintain oversight over government spending.”
The Center Square spoke with State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, who noted that while the bills have not yet been formally introduced, her office has met with Mastriano and others interested in discussing ways to achieve their goal.
Garrity said her office processes payments for roughly 70 state agencies, amounting to around 19 million transactions annually.
She explained that Treasury performs a pre-audit function – reviewing transactions prior to being approved for payment – and that last fiscal year alone, they stopped more than $1.7 billion in improper payments from being made.
“We’ve been doing DOGE before DOGE was considered cool,” she quipped.
Since taking office in 2020, Garrity estimates her office has flagged nearly $2 billion in improper payments annually, including overpayments, duplicates, or payments to the incorrect recipients. However, she clarified that many of these would have been corrected and returned regardless, so the actual savings would amount to about $50 million.
Under Mastriano’s proposal, Garrity said, the DOGE Board would notify Treasury to suspend payments from agencies or departments they deem to be inefficient or unnecessary.
The oversight committee will hold the authority to vote on the reports submitted by DOGE and determine whether to suspend or continue funding. In the event of a tie, the State Treasurer would cast the deciding vote.
Scialabba’s proposal “might not be as heavy a lift” as Mastriano’s, Garrity noted. Unlike the Senate version, her proposal would direct the Auditor General to conduct performance audits of major Commonwealth spending programs.
A good starting point, she suggested, would be the Department of Human Services, specifically reviewing eligibility for cash assistance and Medicaid.
She added that the existence of waste, fraud and abuse in government likely would not come as a shock to most Pennsylvanians.
100-DAY REPORT CARD: TRUMP TORNADO SHOCKED AMERICA — AND THE WORLD
“I think it’s great that legislators are having these conversations, and I’m interested in working with anyone that wants to make state government more efficient,” Garrity said. “We have a responsibility to make sure we’re using taxpayer dollars correctly and wisely, and I think taxpayers expect that of us – I’m a taxpayer, and I expect it.”
Scialabba declined to comment and Mastriano’s office did not respond to a request for comment before publication.