The Commission on Government Efficiency, or COGE, moved Thursday to put five new proposals aimed at streamlining city government operations on voters’ ballots in November.
The proposals, approved in a unanimous vote, include measures to speed up approvals for outdoor dining, create new bus and bike lanes, and set goals for the city’s rainy day fund, plus reform the procurement process and simplify building permitting.
Mayor Mamdani empaneled the commission in May with the goal of finding ways to make city government more efficient in ways that would impact everyday New Yorkers. The name, a playful jab at Elon Musk’s DOGE, is intended to show a contrast between Mamdani’s administration and Musk’s failed attempt to deliver a trillion dollars in federal savings. It also puts a point on Mamdani’s attempts to appeal to voters at all ends of the political spectrum through populist policies.
While technically independent, charter revision commissions are typically influenced by mayors.
“We looked at the processes we have, the procedures of city government, and we were clear amongst ourselves here that — unlike some other commissions — efficiency was not the end goal,” Patrick Gaspard, the commission’s chairperson, said at the meeting. “Being able to deliver an affordable New York — that was the end goal.”
The meeting comes after a series of 10 hearings held across the five boroughs over the past two months, at which more than 1,220 people testified, according to the commission’s numbers. The proposals will next be sent to the Board of Elections for final approval.
The Mayor’s Office on Thursday said that, after November, COGE will transition to an advisory board.
Mamdani’s formation of the commission also came as he killed another charter revision commission brought together by his predecessor, ex-Mayor Adams, on his last day in office. Mamdani was able to ax the zombie commission using a new state law passed in this year’s budget. Adams’ commission was aimed at creating an open primary system — one avenue Mamdani’s opponents have suggested as a way to weaken the mayor’s progressive coalition when he’s up for reelection in 2029.
The Adams commission sued the Mamdani administration, arguing the mayor illegally directed state lawmakers to enact the new provision so that Mamdani could pull the plug on their panel.
A Staten Island judge dismissed that suit on Wednesday.