(Logo courtesy of the Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System; photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Several Iowa Republican lawmakers have assured Iowans there is not significant interest in making changes to the state’s public retirement system after the idea was suggested last week by members of a task force appointed by the governor.
Terry Lutz, who chaired a work group within the Iowa DOGE task force, said at a meeting Wednesday that one of the recommendations under consideration was “doing away with the current defined benefits program and going to a defined contribution program” for public employees. This change was recommended because compensation packages for government workers through IPERS, the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System, are “way out of whack” with private sector compensation, he said.
The proposal on IPERS and other benefits would apply to new employees, while the compensation would remain the same as it currently exists for current employees, Lutz said. Gov. Kim Reynolds created the task force, modeled after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) program in the Trump administration, to seek government cost-cutting and efficiency measures at the state and local levels.
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This proposal has sparked significant backlash from public worker groups and others, who have rallied using the slogan “Hands off IPERS” while urging supporters to contact Reynolds and lawmakers to voice their opposition to the recommendation.
Since the DOGE task force meeting, several Republican lawmakers have made posts on social media stating it is unlikely the Republican trifecta will pursue changes to the public retirement system in the upcoming legislative session.
Rep. Steve Holt, R-Denison, wrote in a Facebook post Saturday Republicans are committed to finding “innovative ways to make government smaller and smarter” — but this work will likely not involve modifying IPERS.
“I have discussed this issue with the House Speaker and other legislators,” Holt wrote. “While I recognize concerns about IPERS, I want to reassure Iowans that there is virtually no interest in making changes to it. We have one of the best funded retirement systems in the country.”
A handful of other House Republicans, including Reps. Tom Jeneary of Le Mars, Jason Gearhart of Strawberry Point and Mark Thompson of Clarion, made social media posts, saying they had received questions about the task force’s IPERS recommendation and wanted to reassure constituents the Legislature was unlikely to take up the issue.
Though several Republicans have voiced opposition to the proposal, several Democrats have called for Iowans who oppose the cuts to speak out in support of government employees. Rep. Molly Buck, D-Ankeny, wrote on Thursday this means contacting lawmakers and joining advocacy groups, as well as voting “for candidates who will protect retirement security.”
Iowa Auditor Rob Sand, who is running as a Democratic candidate for governor in 2026, criticized the proposal in a statement, saying the best way to make government more efficient was to “restore the State Auditor’s power to find misspent money,” not make changes to IPERS.
“Police officers, firefighters, teachers, plow drivers, and more paid into IPERS and should be thanked for their service,” Sand said. “They take salaries lower than typical private sector salaries, some because of the promise of IPERS. This proposal could result in reductions of retirement benefits that these workers have already paid into for years. Weakening IPERS will stop many people from taking public service jobs, leaving the public worse off and more key roles unfilled.”
Sen. David Sires of Cedar Falls wrote on Saturday there was “misinformation” being spread about changes to IPERS by Democrats. The recommendation — which would have to be approved by the legislature — would only impact new employees, and “there is very little interest in the legislature to take up this idea at all.”
“Claims that Republicans are attempting to ‘gut IPERS’ are simply false,” Sires wrote. “IPERS remains strong and will continue to serve the thousands of Iowans who depend on it.”
Though the recommendation was discussed in a public meeting earlier in August, the DOGE task force has not officially recommended changes to IPERS to Reynolds and lawmakers yet. The task force is scheduled to meet again on Sept. 24 before submitting its final report.
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