New York, New York - Mayor Zohran Mamdani recently unveiled a new plan to make New York City's government great again, piggybacking off of similar efforts made by President Donald Trump.
On Thursday, Mamdani's office shared a press release announcing the creation of the Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE), which will be tasked with reviewing the entire NYC Charter and finding ways it can "better support public excellence by improving efficiency, modernizing city government, and ensuring government keeps pace with New Yorkers' needs."
"The Commission will hold 10 public hearings across the five boroughs to hear directly from New Yorkers before proposals are brought to voters on the November ballot," the release said.
The title of the commission bears a striking resemblance to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – a group Trump created last year to weed out rampant "waste, fraud, and abuse" in the federal government. He tapped billionaire Elon Musk to lead it.
The Tesla CEO oversaw the cutting and closure of countless federal agencies, departments, and grants, which he deemed wasteful or contributing to "wokeness."
During a press conference on Thursday, Mamdani acknowledged the similar titles, telling reporters, "It's just the name and what [DOGE] should have been."
He went on to say that government efficiency should be a priority for "anyone who believes in the public sector," and criticized Musk for using the language to cut critical jobs for the neediest people.
Mamdani insisted COGE would serve "Not as a byword for cutting services, but actually a sincere commitment to efficiency."