Des Moines, Iowa (RI) — Governor Kim Reynolds is reviewing the report from a task force of business leaders she appointed to review state government operations and will submit some of the proposals to the legislature in January.
Reynolds may recommend incentives that encourage local governments to share more services as part of a property tax reduction strategy, but the governor says those incentives must be short-term rather than permanent.
Reynolds appointed a “Department of Government Efficiency” or DOGE task force in February, and the group of business leaders submitted its report to the governor at the end of September. The 100-page report was released to the public on Tuesday. The group made 45 recommendations, some of which the governor indicated are already being done, like the legislature’s review of the pay and benefits for state employees every other year. And Reynolds says a task force member’s discussion of changing the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System, or IPERS, to something similar to a 401 (k) investment plan isn’t going to happen.
Emily Schmitt, chief administrative officer and general counsel for Sukup Manufacturing, was the group’s chair. She says they focused on trying to create an ecosystem where all levels and agencies of government collaborate.
The governor appeared to endorse one proposal in the report Tuesday. It would let private sector businesses directly assess workforce-related programs and recommend changes.
Reynolds says the state spends $400 million a year on workforce programs, and the task force report shows something’s not right in that area.
KIWA Staff Photo
