Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are getting all of the headlines and political backlash for attempting to make the federal government more efficient, which seems like an impossible endeavor.
In Iowa, Governor Kim Reynolds is continuing her work to make the state government, at all levels, more efficient and effective by creating a new state-level DOGE organization. It is being led by Emily Schmitt, chief administrative officer and general counsel of Sukup Manufacturing.
In addition to Ms. Schmitt, the task force will include “15-20 private-sector business leaders appointed by Governor Reynolds. Members include individuals with expertise in efficiency, management, and technology and at least two members from local government. Members are still being secured,” according to the task force’s website.
We like the idea of private-sector leaders taking an outside look at ways to improve government efficiencies. Gaining efficiencies or reducing redundancies in government should be in everyone’s best interest.
The Iowa task force is seeking input from the public and plans to have an initial meeting within 60 days and a final report within 180 days of the Feb. 10 executive order.
That seems like a lot of work in a short amount of time. We encourage anyone who has ideas for making Iowa more effective and efficient to submit their suggestions via the task force’s website.
One significant efficiency concept which has been floated several times over the past 20 years is to reduce Iowa’s 99 counties to something more reasonable.
Retired Maytag CEO Len Hadley has been an advocate for consolidating Iowa’s counties for more than two decades, according to a 2024 Gazette article. He’s an expert on administrative efficiency and served on former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack’s Strategic Planning Commission in 1999, as well as on a past board of regents performance-based funding task force.
In 2023, Mr. Hadley told The Gazette that he wrote a letter to Governor Reynolds sharing his proposal for county consolidation.
While speaking with The Gazette editorial board in 2009, Mr. Hadley proposed that counties be consolidated so each county seat is no more than a 45-minute drive from the county’s borders.
Mr. Hadley said in some regards, the consolidation of Iowa’s counties is similar to the consolidation of the state’s rural schools. He argued that by combining counties, there would be savings from the reduction of administrative costs. And in 2013, then-State Rep. Bruce Hunter sought to reduce Iowa’s 99 counties to no more than 50 by 2017.
Mr. Hunter, a Democrat, said in a news report the plan would save the state $5 million a year, and potentially $400 million over the long run.
“It’s obvious there is going to be some savings to the people of Iowa if we consolidate government services,” Mr. Hunter said.
Iowa’s DOGE task force has a big challenge in front of it. We are hopeful that a more efficient and effective state government will be embraced.
