CINCINNATI — Elon Musk has officially concluded his brief tenure as a Special Government Employee leading the "DOGE" initiative, a role marked by significant cuts to funding and grants that have reverberated throughout local community organizations here in the Tri-State.
During Musk’s four-month leadership of DOGE, the White House claims the cost-cutting measures saved approximately $170 billion or an average of $1,056 for each taxpayer. However, to many, the savings came at the expense of vital community services.
Christina Vassallo, executive director of the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) in downtown, expressed her concerns about the adverse impacts of DOGE on their operations.
"DOGE has absolutely negatively impacted our work here," Vassallo said. She highlighted the loss of a critical three-year grant that totaled $175,000. It came from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and was meant to enhance CAC’s teen programming.
She said the center had a rich history of serving over 3,000 teens annually, with goals to reach 5,000 in the upcoming year before the funding cuts.
The ramifications of DOGE in the Cincinnati area extend beyond the arts. AmeriCorps, a federal agency dedicated to volunteerism and community service, reported significant staffing and program reductions.
Dave Schmitt, the executive director of the Mill Creek Alliance, shared his concerns. His organization employed people through AmeriCorps.
"We normally work with up to 2,000 kids a year," Schmitt said, adding that the cuts have created challenges for numerous ongoing projects, including seven stream restoration initiatives throughout the city.
Watch a full breakdown of how DOGE impacted the Tri-State in the video player below.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in Pleasant Ridge also felt the sting of DOGE's budgetary cuts, with many employees facing termination.
Employees at NIOSH voiced their fears and frustrations earlier this year.
"People are scared and they're angry," NIOSH worker Niemeier Walsh said.
In a legal battle that followed, a spokesperson told WCPO that the 313 workers have been reinstated, but there remain a few hundred still without jobs.
Vassallo criticized the cuts, asserting that "the corners that DOGE proposes the federal government cuts will do far more harm than good."
In contrast, Musk remains optimistic about the future.
"The DOGE team will only grow stronger over time; the DOGE influence will only grow stronger," Musk said during a Friday afternoon press conference from the Oval Office.
As the dust settles on Musk's departure, Vassallo and others are calling for legislative action to protect the funding allocated by Congress.
"We need to ensure that Congress, it is their role, they allocated funding, that they contravene in the administration's decisions," Vassallo said.
