Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price, State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald, State Legislators, AFSCME Council 61 President Danny Homan, and IPERS Recipients Hold Press Conference on the Importance of Iowa’s Public Pension Program
Governor Reynolds and Republicans Frantically Attempt to Shy Away Previous Comments in Support of Changes to IPERS Program
Governor Reynolds’ Previously Stated She is Open to a “Hybrid” Program, And Noted She Isn’t Ruling Out Changes To The State’s Largest Public Employees’ Pension Program
In recent days Governor Reynolds and Republicans have released a flurry of statements, editorials and social media posts pledging their support of the program, yet their previous actions and statements say otherwise.
Timeline
- In January 2017 a Republican senator introduced a bill that would privatize IPERS for all future members.
- In January 2017, at a Republican fundraiser, Governor Reynolds said the IPERS system is “not sustainable” and raised the possibility of moving to a “hybrid” system that would include the current defined benefit pension arrangement as well as a defined contribution component – similar to a 401(k) system commonly found in the private sector.
- In July 2017, Governor Reynolds said she “supported” State Senator Charles Schneider’s effort behind bringing in a Los Angeles-based Libertarian think tank – the Reason Foundation – to conduct a study on Iowa’s current system. The Reason Foundation, has previously published a pension reform handbook that includes the options of a “hybrid” program Governor Reynolds has previously alluded to.
- During a June 2018 appearance on Iowa Public Television,Governor Reynolds had this to say when asked about transitioning to a 401(k) style program: “as we look at doing a hybrid or different options, first and foremost it has to make sure we are maintaining the commitments that have been made.”
- A few months later Governor Reynolds said she wasn’t ruling out changes, and again referenced a “hybrid” system in an interview with the Des Moines Register.
- In the most recent Gubernatorial debate Governor Reynolds felt it was politically necessary to state she is a “strong supporter of IPERS” and then the next day, when she was still not feeling Iowans believed her, wrote an op-ed where she again, reaffirmed her support of those in the current IPERS system, but made no mention of future IPERS members.
- Only when pressed by reporters did a spokesperson of Governor Reynolds say “the governor has no intention of changing IPERS for any participant current or future.”
“This is the latest, in a long line of examples, of Governor Reynolds willingness to say or do anything to get elected,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price.
“Governor Reynolds has made clear she would support a change to the IPERS system that moves it towards privatized system, just like her disastrous privatization of Medicaid. We are now seeing the governor and other Republicans across the state give us false promises in the hopes of winning an election – just like they did before gutting collective bargaining and switching Iowans to privatized Medicaid. Iowans deserve to know the truth behind these statements.”
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