New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has stolen the government-efficiency playbook from Elon Musk and President Trump's DOGE, repackaging it as the "Commission on Government Efficiency." This comes as the far-left mayor is grappling with a large budget deficit.
Democrats and their far-left, billionaire-funded NGOs and activist groups spent the first half of 2025 demonizing Trump's DOGE, which aimed to trim the bloated federal government.
"This morning we are introducing COGE — the Commission on Government Efficiency," the socialist mayor wrote on X on Thursday morning.
He continued, "This Commission will find ways for our city to work smarter, faster, and more effectively for working people. New Yorkers deserve a city government as careful with their money as they are."
COGE will be led by former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Patrick Gaspard, with Ann Cheng proposed as executive director. It plans to hold 10 public hearings across the metro area before presenting proposals to voters in November.
COGE comes as the mayor faces a large budget hole while pursuing a progressive agenda that includes free buses, free childcare, and affordable housing.
On Tuesday, he proposed a new housing plan that would pressure building owners, confiscate private property, and roll it into nonprofits. This, in itself, has sparked property-rights concerns.
X users respond to Mamdani's COGE:
Mamdani recently unveiled a $124.7 billion budget that includes $4 billion in state aid, while Albany approved a new pied-à-terre tax expected to raise $500 million for the city.
Related:
His move to 'eat the rich' by unleashing the tax cannon to fund left-wing experiments appears to have ended, for now.