MI DOGE: Department of Government Efficiency

Creating the Most Efficient and Effective Government in American History

Michigan First will create the Michigan Department of Government Efficiency (MI DOGE)—a bold, common-sense agency modeled on successful private-sector turnarounds and inspired by the most audacious efficiency initiatives in history. MI DOGE will be a temporary, high-powered agency with a singular focus: reduce the size and cost of government by a minimum of 50% and vastly improve the services Michiganders receive from their state government.

MI DOGE will not be another expensive commission or study group with no teeth. It will have full authority to access every agency’s budget, contracts, personnel files, and technology, freeze hiring, cancel wasteful contracts, and recommend for immediate termination any program or agency deemed inefficient or duplicative, with expedited approval by the Governor and Legislature.

Recommendations and savings will be made public in real time on a public dashboard. MI DOGE will be dissolved automatically after 8 years or upon meeting its 50% reduction mandate—whichever comes first.

Leadership 

MI DOGE will be co-chaired by veterans of successful private-sector turnarounds and patriots from the Legislature with significant seniority and managerial experience.

MI DOGE staff will be recruited from the best and brightest in business, technology, manufacturing, and military logistics—no career bureaucrats. Every MI DOGE employee will serve a fixed term of 4 years and will not be able to seek or receive a civil service position.

Recommendation Authority and Time Limits 

Access: MI DOGE will have full access to the budget, contracts, personnel files, and technology of every state agency.

Recommendation Authority: MI DOGE will have the authority to immediately freeze new hiring, terminate wasteful contracts, and recommend for immediate termination any program or agency that it deems inefficient or duplicative, with approval from the Governor and Legislature to be fast-tracked.

Agency Appeals: MI DOGE recommendations can be appealed by the agency head to the Governor and Legislature, but only on grounds that the program or agency is essential and MI DOGE has failed to consider all possible cost savings.

Agency Overrides: MI DOGE has the authority to override the objections of any state agency on the grounds that doing so is necessary to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Sunset Clause: MI DOGE will automatically sunset and be dissolved by statute after 8 years, or once it has met its mandate to reduce government spending and workforce by 50%—whichever comes first.

Transparency and Public Dashboard: A public dashboard will provide real-time visibility to all of MI DOGE’s recommendations and all the savings it identifies.

Specific Recommendations and Initiatives 

Michigan Do-It-Yourself Budgeting 

Zero-based budgeting for every agency. Every state agency must justify every dollar it spends every year from zero. No more relying on the previous year’s budget as a baseline. If a program cannot demonstrate measurable benefits for citizens, it is terminated.

Waste Hunters: Elite teams to comb through every agency looking for fraud, duplication, and other low-value spending to be cut. Target: recover billions in misspent funds in the first 4 years.

Citizen Services Transformation: Permitting, licensing, and benefits will be replaced by AI-driven technology platforms that are faster, more convenient, and transparent.

Consolidate the more than 100 separate state websites into one unified Michigan.gov citizen portal with a simple search function.

Move all procurement and contracts to a blockchain-based system for absolute transparency and easy tracking.

Personnel Reform and Restructuring 

Performance-based government: no more across-the-board raises and tenure protections for state employees.

Workforce Reduction: he state workforce must be reduced by attrition, hiring freezes, and early retirement incentives. All non-essential positions will be eliminated. 

Outsourcing: All non-core functions such as IT support, facilities management, fleet maintenance, and purchasing will be outsourced to competitive private contractors.

Regulatory Reform and Repeal: Identify and eliminate 75% of all outdated, unnecessary, or burdensome regulations. Every remaining regulation must pass a cost-benefit test and be reviewed for possible sunset or repeal.

Asset Monetization: Sell or lease underutilized state-owned land, buildings, and vehicles. Monetize natural resources through selective sales or leasing to generate revenue without raising taxes.

Actual Savings Targets and Timelines 

Year 1: $5–10 billion in immediate, spendable savings; elimination of 100+ duplicative or low-value programs.

Year 2–4: 30% reduction in total state spending and workforce.

Year 5–8: 50% total reduction in size and cost, which will enable the complete elimination of the state income tax and major reductions in the real property tax.

Annual DOGE Scorecard: Publish an annual scorecard ranking all agencies by efficiency and comparing performance year-on-year. Bottom performers will face mandatory cuts. 

Benefits for Citizens 

Citizen Services: Same-day or online service for routine transactions like driver’s license renewals and business permits.

Business Environment: End the Permitting Hunger Games and give small businesses an online portal where they can do everything they need to do with state government from one place.

Accountability and Transparency 

Annual “DOGE Scorecard” will track agency performance by spending per capita and required time to get service.

Budget Transparency: Every dollar in savings or agency budget cuts will be listed in real time on an open, public dashboard for everyone to see and track.

Citizen Dividends: A portion of savings will be distributed directly to productive citizens as an annual dividend.

Tax and Spending Reduction 

Elimination of the State Income Tax and the Real Property Tax.

Elimination of business taxes that have a demonstrated negative effect on employment, wages, and innovation.

Faster, easier, more convenient, more transparent access to government.

Elimination of overregulation and duplication. 

Citizen Red Tape Reduction Act: The tax code, licenses and permits, and other regulatory obstacles will be consolidated and reduced by at least 50%, with faster and easier online access.

Healthcare: Freedom to choose health insurance and healthcare options.

Education: Education choice for every family. 

Patriots United: MI DOGE will be staffed by patriots who put Michigan’s future first and will work with citizen groups, business leaders, and the private sector to identify waste and recommend reductions.

A Balanced Budget Amendment to the Michigan Constitution.

MI DOGE will be the most aggressive, results-oriented government efficiency program ever attempted at the state level. It will leave no sacred cows or special interests untouched, but only after every conceivable cost-saving measure and efficiency gain has been attempted first.

Government is not the answer to every problem. When it is lean and effective, the people are wealthy and free.

When the swamp in Lansing has been drained, MI DOGE will deliver real savings to the people of Michigan.

Michigan First. Faith First. Family First. Freedom First.