Zohran Mamdani is taking a page from the DOGE playbook.
The New York City mayor announced a new Commission on Government Efficiency, or COGE, on Thursday. City Hall said the agency will ensure “the government keeps pace with New Yorkers’ needs,” by cutting bureaucratic red tape, reforming civic procedures, and making it easier for residents to access affordable city services.
The mayor’s efficiency push comes on the heels of the Trump administration’s DOGE effort, led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, that led to widespread firings of federal workers and cancellation of government contracts. The White House is winding down the office.
Mamdani sees his COGE effort differently.
“We are delivering on something New Yorkers — and frankly many Americans — care about,” Mamdani said at a May 28 press conference, adding, “What we are speaking about is a sincere fulfillment of a vision that ensures that city government is operating with the same focus that a working-class New Yorker is when they’re trying to balance their bills.”
Mamdani said efficiency is a government responsibility
Mamdani hopes that COGE will help balance the local budget and make it easier for New Yorkers to access affordable housing, attend quality public schools, and use the city’s social safety net programs. Longtime public servant Ann Cheng is set to serve as executive director.
A press release from City Hall said the commission will be focused on equipping the city with the authority and tools to run public programs effectively. The administration plans to host public meetings and hearings to hear directly from New Yorkers about the support they need most.
Soon after he entered office, Mamdani announced the appointment of chief savings officers across city agencies. Officers were required to identify programs that provide the highest return for New Yorkers and propose efficiency-related cuts.
In March, the mayor said the officers identified savings across agencies, including technology modernization, space consolidation, and lease management. The Department of Sanitation, for example, said it will vacate unused office space, and the Taxi and Limousine Commission said it will cancel its Slack subscription in fiscal year 2027. These initial proposed savings tallied hundred of thousands of dollars.
Despite similar titles, Mamdani said his COGE initiative is a far cry from the White House’s cost-cutting spree. “Elon Musk manipulated the fact that so many people across this country want to see a government that is more efficient,” he said. “He used that as a justification to simply slash and burn so many of the city services that Americans rely on.”
COGE is “just a name,” he added. Efficiency is not political, he said, but a priority for “anyone who believes in the public sector.”
