A Missouri Office of Government Efficiency

Back in early January of this year, the Show-Me Institute published a model policy written by my colleague Aaron Hedlund and I for establishing a Missouri Office of Government Efficiency (MOGE). It laid out key principles modeled after Ronald Reagan’s successful cost-cutting initiative in the 1960’s while he was Governor of California. Our MOGE model policy also provided clear examples and a framework for Missouri’s executive branch, if ever they decided to take action.

Later that same month, during Governor Kehoe’s first State of the State Address, I was encouraged to hear his plans to create a “Show-Me DOGE” that sounded similar in vision to MOGE. But in the months since, Missouri’s General Assembly passed another record-breaking budget, and no public action has yet been taken by the Governor’s office to establish any sort of government efficiency effort. Given the vital importance of reining in our state’s unsustainable spending, I decided to take the MOGE model policy a step further by drafting a model executive order that dives into the specific needs for successfully implementing something like MOGE along with an addendum that lays out the issues that would need to be resolved before the order takes effect. It is my hope that providing these additional details will help reignite the productive discussions that were happening across Missouri earlier this year regarding government efficiency and spark new debate about how to best right-size the state’s government. If it wasn’t already clear, I truly believe that action is necessary by Missouri’s government to secure the state’s financial future, and time is of the essence.

Model Executive Order for Right-Sizing Missouri Government

WHEREAS, the State of Missouri is dedicated to the compelling governmental interest of
efficiency, accountability and transparency; and

WHEREAS, the State of Missouri is committed to ensuring access to essential services; and

WHEREAS, other states have initiated their own successful government efficiency efforts,
including the notable case of California under Governor Reagan’s leadership; and

WHEREAS, the State of Missouri is similarly committed to improving government efficiency to
reduce the tax, regulatory, and inflation burden faced by all Missourians; and

WHEREAS, Missouri can benefit by drawing upon the unique perspectives, experience, and
expertise of leaders from outside government.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, [NAME], GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, by virtue of
the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Missouri, do hereby
establish the [insert name of initiative] as follows:

I. Composition:
The Commission shall consist of the following members:
a) A chairman, appointed by the Governor;
b) [insert number of members for Governor to appoint]
c) [insert number of members Chairman can appoint]

II. Support:
The commission shall retain a financial consulting firm with experience in efficiency
auditing of state government programs and processes.
a) The commission shall be authorized to select and retain as their agents and
assistants such executives and experts from business and industry as are
skilled in the conduct or private enterprise.
b) Staff from the Governor’s Office and [insert names other government
agencies involved, e.g., Office of Administration] shall provide any
additional necessary support, including, but not limited to, research, data
analysis, and administrative assistance.
c) Each officer and employee of this state shall furnish the consultants and their
representatives with complete information concerning their respective
agencies, departments, and subdivisions thereof, and give the consultants and
their agents every assistance in the performance of their duties.

III. Objectives:
The commission shall make such studies and investigations as they consider
necessary to determine how the services of the State of Missouri and [insert any
other governmental entities to be included in the investigation, e.g., oversight of
political subdivisions] may be provided to its citizens in the most efficient,
expeditious, and economical manner.
a) The commission’s review shall include, but not be limited to, all services,
programs, spending, regulations, and administrative practices of Missouri’s
government.
b) The proposed fiscal and regulatory savings should amount to reducing state
[insert specific goal] (e.g. general revenue expenditures by at least 20%).

IV. Reporting:
The commission shall make [insert items subject to transparency laws and public
disclosure, e.g., all work product and/or final recommendations] available to the
public.
a) The commission shall submit a final report to the Governor detailing
recommendations for: [insert specific goals]
b) Members of the commission shall be subject to [insert transparency
requirements, e.g., Missouri’s Sunshine Law].
c) The final report shall be posted online with supporting documentation.

V. Compensation:
The commission shall be funded by private sources, [insert any potential exclusions
from private funding, e.g., the cost of necessary administrative support from
state employees].
a) Members of the commission shall serve without compensation but may be
reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties,
subject to the commission’s availability of private funds.

VI. Duration:
The commission’s work shall take no longer than [insert timeframe, e.g., 18
months] from enactment and the commission shall be dissolved upon submission of
its final report unless extended by subsequent executive action.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal
of the State of Missouri, in the City of Jefferson, on this [DATE].

[signature]
GOVERNOR

ATTEST:

[signature]
SECRETARY OF STATE

Items to Complete before Issuing Executive Order

• Decide on a name for the efficiency commission/initiative.
• Determine the best structure for the commission/initiative.
o How many members, how are they selected, how long will it last?
o How should the commission exist outside of government? Governor Reagan’s
was a separate nonprofit.
o How should the commission work with the Governor’s Office and other state
agencies?
• Identify business leaders who are interested in chairing or being a member of the
efficiency commission/initiative.

Once the structure and chair have been decided, begin ironing out details regarding the
commission’s work.
• Identify firms that could conduct the efficiency survey.
• Estimate how much the commission’s work will cost and begin recruiting interested
parties to help raise funds.
• Identify people inside the Governor’s Office and other agencies that would work with the
commission.
• How should the commission deal with compensation for members and other enlisted
parties?
• Are there any potential issues that could arise regarding the sharing of information
between government agencies, a contracted consulting firm, and the commission?
• How should the commission deal with transparency and conflict of interest issues?
o Determine the application of the Sunshine Law. Should members of the
commission have government email addresses? Must all work products be public?
Should there be a website posting the commission’s findings in real time?
o If the commission is going to post findings online, identify the budget for a web
developer to create the website.
• What should be the commission’s over-arching goal? For example, cutting 20% of
General Revenue would be a place to start, but the percentage could be adjusted or other
metrics could be added.
• Are there ways to ensure important topics are sufficiently tackled by the commission? For
example, the state’s IT systems, pensions, purchasing, federal issues, and/or relations
with local governments.
• Should the commission receive input from other government officials? For example,
Attorney General, Auditor, Treasurer, General Assembly, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary
of State, Judiciary.
• Finalize remaining decisions regarding executive order drafting.