There’s likely little disagreement that government at all levels should operate efficiently. All taxpayers surely want their dollars to be spent wisely and frugally.
That’s why we are cautiously optimistic about Gov. Jeff Landry's Louisiana Department of Government Efficiency, or LA DOGE. Approached correctly, this initiative has the potential to benefit both state workers and the residents who interact with government.
The reason for our caution should be obvious to anyone who follows national news. Landry’s interest in reexamining state government dates back to his days as attorney general, but he rebranded the initiative “LA DOGE” to piggyback on the Trump administration’s controversial effort, headed initially by Elon Musk.
We are hardly the first to criticize how DOGE in Washington has carried out its mission. Under Musk, the initiative — it was never a formal department, as Louisiana’s is not — belittled government workers and slashed jobs and programs without fully understanding or appreciating the value they provide. The wreckage and hard feelings have been widespread, some layoffs and program cuts were chaotically reversed, and so far, there’s little evidence of actual savings.
It doesn’t have to be that way. We fervently hope that, in Louisiana, it won’t be.
We’re glad to hear Landry and his appointed “fiscal responsibility czar” Steve Orlando say LA DOGE’s goal is not to cut government jobs or services for the sake of cutting, but to use a business-minded approach to help agencies spend taxpayer dollars wisely.
We believe any large organization can benefit from such periodic review. Bureaucracies can become stuck on the way things have always been done, even if there are better approaches. For those who work within the system, attempting change can pose frustrating institutional obstacles.
That doesn’t mean we have no concerns. A major one is that LA DOGE doesn’t plan to follow public meetings laws that require government actions to take place in public. We urge it not to adopt a culture of secrecy in doing what is clearly the people’s business.
But we are encouraged that it’s starting off by looking at the perennially troubled Department of Children and Family Services and at the sprawling Health Department, which will face major challenges once Medicaid cuts outlined in the One Big Beautiful Bill kick in.
If LA DOGE effectively modernizes operations, eliminates unnecessary contracts and ensures that only those who deserve services are getting them without hurting those who qualify, that’d be a win for everyone.
So as it undertakes its work, we urge LA DOGE to approach it with humility, an open mind and respect for those who work in government. And we encourage state employees and citizens to receive its recommendations in the same spirit.
Done right, this initiative doesn’t have to be divisive.
In the coming years, Louisiana government will have to dig deep to fulfill its citizens’ many needs. We hope this new effort will make that challenge easier.