Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s Commission on Government Efficiency, also known as COGE, has begun its work to explore better ways to structure state departments in New Hampshire. Despite being compared to the Washington-based group DOGE, COGE has different, less dramatic aims, with a focus on finding efficiencies rather than significant budget cuts.
The commission’s first meeting, which lasted half an hour, was largely organizational, with members reporting on meetings with state commissioners and sharing little detail at this point. They emphasized collaboration over cutting state personnel and seek to streamline government processes to create value for taxpayers.
Established by executive order, COGE has a mandate to improve the efficiency of state government, with no specific deadline for recommendations or an end date for the commission itself. Members have begun interviewing department heads and are looking for structural reforms that could be enacted in the long term.
While the recommendations are still in the early stages, members have discussed ideas such as improving business tax collections and standardizing firearms proposals within state departments. The commission plans to further develop efficiency proposals through additional meetings in the coming weeks.
The commission does not intend to make unilateral decisions and will work within existing laws and processes, with Ayotte ultimately making the final decisions based on their recommendations. Despite concerns from Democrats about transparency and potential cuts to funding, COGE aims to find collaboration and cooperation between departments in a non-disruptive manner.
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