Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2025–26 budget proposal outlines a bold $51.5 billion general fund spending plan, with historic investments in education, public transit, health care, and housing. From expanded funding for underfunded school districts to increased behavioral health services and workforce development incentives, the proposal is ambitious—and expensive.
But as lawmakers debate where and how to spend billions more, one question looms large: Who’s making sure it’s all being spent wisely?
Pennsylvania needs a Department of Government Efficiency—an independent watchdog agency focused solely on rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse across every corner of our vast state government.
A Spending Surge With No Accountability Surge
The Shapiro budget calls for:
- $526 million in additional basic education funding through a new adequacy formula,
- $40 million more for special education,
- $292.5 million in new mass transit funding,
- $2.5 billion in added Medicaid costs,
- and nearly $1 billion in new tax revenues from legal marijuana and skill games.
These are not small-ticket items. They are transformative commitments—but they’re also ripe for inefficiency if left unchecked. For instance, cyber charter school reforms are projected to save $378 million, proving just how much money is already being wasted within the system. That savings didn’t come from new revenue—it came from scrutinizing how we spend what we already have.
So why stop there?
A Government Built for Oversight—In Theory
Pennsylvania’s state government is one of the largest in the nation. With:
- Over 77,000 state employees,
- A $133.7 billion total operating budget,
- One of the most expensive legislatures in America (costing taxpayers more than $400 million annually),
- and more than 4,700 units of local government, the complexity of governance here rivals that of much larger states.
And yet, unlike Texas or Florida, Pennsylvania lacks a centralized, nonpartisan agency dedicated to reviewing state performance and rooting out bloat. While our Auditor General and Attorney General play a role, their efforts are fragmented and often reactive.
By contrast, Texas has its Sunset Advisory Commission, and Florida empowers a Chief Inspector General under the governor’s office. These entities audit programs, evaluate agency necessity, and recommend cuts or consolidations. Over the years, they’ve saved taxpayers billions while improving public trust.
Real Efficiency Is a Reform in Itself
A Pennsylvania Department of Government Efficiency could:
- Conduct independent audits of state and local agencies;
- Review large-scale spending initiatives, like the new $125 million school repair fund or the $50 million housing program;
- Evaluate Medicaid expansion efforts and behavioral health grants;
- Ensure new revenues from marijuana and skill games are actually going where promised;
- And identify overlapping, outdated, or ineffective programs across the state.
This isn’t about shrinking government—it’s about optimizing it.
When we increase spending without increasing oversight, we guarantee not just waste, but public cynicism. Pennsylvanians already pay enough in taxes. The least we can do is guarantee that every dollar counts.
Conclusion: Trust Must Be Earned
Governor Shapiro’s budget has many strong ideas—but bold spending requires bold accountability. Creating a Department of Government Efficiency would prove to taxpayers that Pennsylvania isn’t just good at asking for money—it’s serious about spending it wisely.
It’s not a partisan issue. It’s not a bureaucratic nuisance. It’s common sense.
If Harrisburg is going to write bigger checks, the public deserves a clear receipt.
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