The Wisconsin Assembly’s Government Operations, Accountability and Transparency (GOAT) committee held its first meeting on Tuesday, taking a bipartisan approach and gathering input from Democrats and government leaders. Inspired by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency at the federal level, Wisconsin is one of several states, including Florida, Oklahoma, and Arizona, seeking to streamline government operations.
The GOAT committee, created by Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, aims to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in state government. However, its powers are more limited compared to the federal DOGE, and any recommendations made by the committee would need approval from the Republican-controlled Legislature and Democratic Governor Tony Evers.
During the meeting, a focus was placed on topics such as telework, state office use, accountability of public workers, cybersecurity, and cost savings. Republican committee chair Amanda Nedweski emphasized staying on topic and gathering relevant information. Vice chair Rep. Shae Sortwell faced criticism for sending information requests related to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to local governments across the state before the meeting.
While the GOAT committee aims to improve government efficiency, it faces challenges in implementing significant changes without bipartisan support. Despite the limitations, the committee was able to gather testimony from agency heads at the first meeting, indicating a collaborative and inclusive approach to addressing state government issues.
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