Doge-Inspired Policy Achieves Nearly $1 Billion in Savings for Republican-Led State

Louisiana’s state efficiency program, LA DOGE, is projected to save taxpayers nearly $1 billion annually according to a new report released by Republican Governor Jeff Landry’s office. The initiative, which mirrors the now largely disbanded federal Department of Government Efficiency, has identified cost-saving measures across 17 state departments without reducing services to residents.

LA DOGE was established through an executive order signed by Landry in December 2024 as the Louisiana Fiscal Responsibility Program. The initiative aims to eliminate wasteful spending, improve government efficiency, and modernize operations across the state government.

Steve Orlando, an oil and gas executive from the private sector, has led the program as Louisiana’s Fiscal Responsibility Czar. Working closely with state legislative leadership, the Louisiana legislative auditor, and the commissioner of administration, Orlando’s team has identified substantial areas for cost reduction.

According to the governor’s report, the nearly $1 billion in savings comes from multiple sources: $367 million from Louisiana’s state general fund, $601 million from federal tax dollars, and $65 million from other funding sources.

A significant portion of the state fund savings—$407.6 million—comes from improving workforce efficiency and addressing service inefficiencies among state staff. An additional $206.4 million was cut through renegotiated and canceled contracts that were deemed unnecessary or overpriced.

One of the most substantial areas of savings comes from Medicaid reforms, which accounted for $285.5 million in cuts. These savings were achieved through improved eligibility determination processes designed to remove ineligible recipients and implementing monthly residency verification checks by coordinating with the Office of Motor Vehicles. Similar eligibility verification improvements for SNAP beneficiaries resulted in an additional $14.9 million in savings.

A senior official from the governor’s office emphasized that these cuts have been achieved while simultaneously improving services to citizens. “We have been able to keep the budget down and not have a fiscal cliff, wean ourselves off of one-time money used for recurring expenses, improve our roads and bridges, fund SNAP through these savings during the government shutdown, and give the largest tax cuts in state history,” the official stated.

The fiscal improvements have also allowed the governor’s office to “continue to push for no income tax,” a significant policy goal for the Landry administration.

Governor Landry, who has been in office for just two years, described LA DOGE as an “unbelievably tremendous effort” during a press conference highlighting the program’s success.

“I was shocked by the sheer amount of federal and state matching dollars that we were able to save in the welfare program by doing simple things like cross-checking IDs, license verifications, things that have been pointed out as best practices in order to control the abuses inside the welfare system and nobody would do them. We just did them and immediately started seeing savings,” Landry told reporters.

The governor compared some of the cuts to a family canceling unused subscriptions during tight financial times. “In our households, we have a tendency to maybe go back and do that, especially when times get tight, inflation starts biting into people’s pockets. But in government, it’s really not their money, they don’t have to generate the revenue like you have to generate in businesses.”

While Landry indicated that LA DOGE’s initial mission is complete, he emphasized that the state’s efficiency efforts would continue. “Our goal and efforts toward improving government and continuing to seek efficiencies are not complete. In fact, we are just getting started,” he said.

The administration plans to reform the Office of the Inspector General to take on “a new, expansive role” focused on optimization and efficiency within state government.

Louisiana’s success comes as other states consider similar efficiency programs. Mississippi’s state auditor recently identified $400 million in potential government waste, while Illinois gubernatorial challengers have called for their own DOGE program to address fiscal concerns.

Offering advice to other governors considering similar initiatives, Landry urged them to “just go out and challenge your cabinet members to reach into the bureaucracy and take a look at where the spending is occurring.”