Gov. Kim Reynolds released 45 recommendations Tuesday made by her Iowa DOGE Task Force, and said she will spend the next few months reviewing them for possible implementation by her office or state lawmakers.
Reynolds issued an executive order in February establishing the task force of mostly business leaders, along with some local and state government officials, to make recommendations for improving workforce programs, using emerging technologies and maximizing taxpayer investment in government services.
Reynolds said she asked the task force to be bold, and she is impressed and grateful for its work.
“I have always believed that it is important that we never settle, that we continue to look for ways to be more effective, more efficient and accountable to the taxpayers of Iowa,” she said.
Emily Schmitt, task force chair and general counsel for Sukup Manufacturing, said Reynolds asked the group to look at how they would run government like a business.
“So, although it is a completely different type of entity, the common goal of saving money and using every dollar efficiently translates to both sides,” she said.
Reynolds says IPERS ‘isn’t going anywhere’
The task force sparked public debate as it considered recommendations over the past few months.
A member of the Iowa DOGE Task Force previously floated providing a 401(k)-style retirement plan for new public employees instead of the current pension plan known as IPERS.
Reynolds said IPERS “isn’t going anywhere.”
“There’s been a lot of public speculation, not to mention misinformation, about the potential changes to benefits that state employees, law enforcement officers, teachers and others rely on,” she said. “And you can rest assured that IPERS will be there for your retirement, just as you’ve planned and we’ve promised. And that, by the way, was the intent of the task force from the very beginning.”
In its final report, the DOGE Task Force recommended a regular study of public employee compensation that may explore offering workers a choice between a 401(k)-style plan and a pension. Reynolds said the state already has a long-standing legislative committee tasked with reviewing public retirement systems.
The DOGE report also recommends “a merit-based compensation framework” for teachers, including bonuses and incentives for teachers in high-need schools.
Reynolds said teachers would not see a decline in their salaries. She said the state has already started to reward teachers who “have gone above and beyond” with Teachers Accelerating Learning grants.
“So I’ll take a look at [the DOGE recommendation] and see if it kind of mimics what we’ve done with the grant program, or if there’s some other tweaks that we can make or add to it,” Reynolds said.
The report also calls for “an outcome-based funding and accountability framework for K-12 education, aligning public investments with measurable improvements in student achievement, STEM proficiency and workforce readiness.”
House Democrats accused Reynolds and the task force of putting public employee pensions at risk.
“Any changes to IPERS and other public pensions would be a devastating blow to Iowa’s workforce and economy,” said Rep. Larry McBurney, D-Urbandale.
Rep. Heather Matson, D-Ankeny, said it was clear the DOGE Task Force members didn’t consult with educators.
“If they had, they would know that merit-based pay has been a failed policy that is frequently abandoned after implementation,” she said. “Our strongest schools and classrooms are led by teams of teachers who are given the tools and encouragement to collaborate, not to be pitted against each other for a bonus.”
Task force recommends overhaul of workforce programs
Reynolds said she is excited about the recommendation to have business leaders review Iowa’s workforce training programs. She said worker shortages continue to be an issue in some industries despite her administration’s focus on expanding work-based learning.
“We need to be more nimble. We need to be more adaptive,” Reynolds said. “We need to think about AI and technology, and really how that applies to training the workforce, to make sure that we’re giving them the skills to advance in their career.”
The report includes several recommendations related to using artificial intelligence in government processes. Reynolds said the state government has “made great strides” in using AI to improve government efficiency, and there are opportunities to expand that to local governments.
The task force recommended establishing state grants to start cost-saving partnerships among local governments.
Reynolds said thousands of service sharing agreements are already in place between local governments across the state. But she said she is open to providing incentives, as long as they have a time limit of a few years.
“We just have to be better at what we’re doing,” Reynolds said. “We can’t sustain the level of government that we have.”
She said these efforts could help set the stage for property tax relief.
Rep. Hans Wilz, R-Ottumwa, said he appreciated the opportunity to serve as an ex-officio member of the task force.
“It took the task force 180 days to put together this report based on feedback across all 99 counties, and it will take legislators some time to digest all of its information and seek feedback of our own,” he said. “I am excited to make government efficiency initiatives a major focus in the 2026 legislative session.”
