PA Senator Unveils ‘DOGE’ Plan to Eliminate Wasteful Spending [WATCH]

Pennsylvania State Senator Doug Mastriano is introducing a new initiative aimed at reducing government spending.

The proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) would focus on eliminating what Mastriano considers unnecessary spending, particularly in education and health and human services.

Mastriano emphasized that Pennsylvania’s version of DOGE differs significantly from its federal counterpart, which has been criticized for its approach to workforce reductions.

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While the federal program is executive-branch driven, Pennsylvania’s initiative would be a legislative effort.

“The inspiration really is not just what’s going on in D.C., but also with Josh Shapiro’s $51 billion state budget,” Mastriano said.

The proposal would establish DOGE within the Pennsylvania legislature, encompassing the House, Senate, Treasury, and Auditor General’s Office.

Unlike the federal version, which operates under executive authority, Pennsylvania’s DOGE would allow the legislature to make direct budgetary decisions.

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“If a vote’s made and there’s a tie, the tie-breaker, this is brilliant,” Mastriano said. “Is the state treasurer. What happens then? Okay, we have cuts. What happens to that money? It goes right back into the budget, you know, right back into our fund, rather not into the Governor’s budget, but it comes back to the people.”

The initiative, inspired in part by cost-cutting measures implemented by Elon Musk, would have the authority to halt spending on programs and departments deemed unnecessary.

Not all Pennsylvania lawmakers support the plan. State Senator Vincent Hughes (D) strongly criticized the proposal, warning that it could lead to financial instability and job losses.

“Any replication of what Musk and Trump have created in Washington, D.C. to come and cause the kind of chaos that they’ve caused at the federal level, at the local level, unacceptable, unacceptable,” Hughes said.

He argued that Pennsylvania already has an auditor general and an inspector general responsible for overseeing state spending.

“And I guarantee you the people in Pennsylvania are not for any replication of that,” Hughes added.

Mastriano acknowledged that job losses could occur if certain government programs and departments are cut, but he maintained that his focus is on eliminating waste and ensuring taxpayer money is used efficiently.

Mastriano specifically pointed to education and health and human services as areas where spending reductions could be made.

He has not provided details on which programs would be targeted, but his proposal aligns with broader Republican efforts to curb state spending and reduce the size of government.

With a divided legislature, the fate of Pennsylvania DOGE remains uncertain.

While Republicans argue the initiative is necessary to rein in excessive government spending, Democrats warn of potential disruptions and job losses.

As the debate over Pennsylvania’s budget continues, Mastriano’s proposal is expected to spark further discussions about the role of government spending and fiscal responsibility at the state level.

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