Georgia considers its own Department of Government Efficiency
ATLANTA, Ga. - As the federal Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, continues to grab headlines, Georgia lawmakers are considering their version of an efficiency program with some key differences.
Led by Elon Musk, a tech billionaire and close ally of President Donald Trump, DOGE has been mandated to slash billions from the federal budget by taking a scrutinizing look at each department and identifying waste. But the effort has gotten pushback from many lawmakers and of the federal government, who have accused an unappointed Musk of overstepping his authority.
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Georgia’s version of a government efficiency program would mirror some elements of DOGE, but with a heavier focus on trimming regulatory fat, as well as budgetary.
“Small business people will tell you that the government bureaucracies have added 20-30% to the cost of their overhead, which means they carry that cost onto their customers,” said state Sen. Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega). “Anytime you can reduce the size of government and you can eliminate government waste, fraud and abuse, that’s a good thing for the taxpayer.”
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Senate Bill 28, also called the Red Tape Rollback Act, would require state agencies to review their budgets every four years and trim not only money but also regulations that make it more expensive to start and run a business.
SB 28 was originally introduced by Georgia’s Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones. It would also require the state’s audit agency to present lawmakers with reports on legislation outlining the impact to small businesses.
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“That’s good, common-sense legislation, especially at a time where inflation has made things hard for small businesses,” said state Sen. Josh McLaurin (D-Sandy Springs). “We want to give small businesses all the tools they need to succeed and not crush them under a mountain of paperwork.”
“There’s fat in every agency between Washington and Main Street, USA,” said Gooch. “Federal government, state government and local governments all need to do this. We all need to trim our fat, we need to tighten our belts and make sure that every taxpayer gets the best they can get.”
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