Steven Gassenberger
Policy Analyst, Pension Integrity Project, Reason Foundation
Steven Gassenberger is a policy analyst with Reason Foundation's Pension Integrity Project.
Prior to joining Reason Foundation, Gassenberger worked as a consumer advocacy manager for Xerox Corporation, specializing in financial consumer regulation and compliance. He also worked as a senior associate for Stateside Associates, where he developed state-level management strategies for a variety of policy areas. Prior to that, Gassenberger held positions at the National Breast Cancer Coalition and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
At Reason, Gassenberger has contributed to in-depth analysis of the Arkansas TRS, Florida FRS, Louisiana LASERS, Louisiana TRSL, Mississippi PERS, Montana MPERS, Montana TRS, New Mexico ERB, New Mexico PERA, North Dakota PERS, Texas ERS, and Texas TRS pension systems.
Gassenberger has also presented testimony in Montana, Nebraska, and Texas during state pension reform efforts.
His work has been published in The Wall Street Journal and Business Observer.
Gassenberger recently shared the stage at the Pelican Institute’s Solutions Summit 2.0 with Louisiana State Senator Barrow Peacock, Michigan State Senator Phil Pavlov, and Jonathan Williams, Chief Economist at The American Legislative Exchange Council in discussing “Fostering a Sustainable System for Louisiana.”
Gassenberger graduated from the University of New Orleans with a BA in international relations and received an MA in public policy from Tel Aviv University.
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Gov. Landry should give as much attention to Louisiana’s pension crisis as he does to college football
The greatest test of fiscal leadership is not found on the football field—it is found in the balance sheet of the state’s multi-billion dollar public pension systems.
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Will Texas teacher pensions suffer if property taxes are slashed?
There is a way forward for Texas to deliver meaningful tax relief, honor its commitments to educators, and keep its budget on stable ground.
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Mississippi Public Employees Retirement System post-Tier 5 funding stress test and recommendations
Lawmakers must take steps to adopt proper PERS funding policy and secure an affordable retirement benefit for Mississippi public workers into the future.
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Taxpayers shouldn’t bail out the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana without reform
State lawmakers have approved a pair of measures that, while seemingly helpful, could ultimately burden taxpayers without solving the underlying problems.
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Montana’s proposed regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles needs reform
Montana’s Senate Bill 67 attempts to provide a regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles, but the proposal conflicts with best practices learned in other states.
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Mississippi adopts hybrid retirement design in major pension reform
A sustainable new “hybrid” retirement design has been adopted, but major funding and design issues remain for 2026.
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Mississippi PERS’ $25 billion problem
Mississippi's state-run retirement system has only about half of what experts project is needed to pay retirees.
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A new and necessary approach for Mississippi’s public pension
The Mississippi Public Employees Retirement System needs more money to meet its promises to active and retired public workers long-term.
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PERS’ state of play after the 2024 Mississippi legislative session
The Mississippi Public Employee Retirement System is $25.5 billion in debt and has only 56.1% of what is needed to meet long-term obligations.
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Modernizing PERS to serve Mississippi’s public workforce
Over the last decade, Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi data has shown a significant increase in the rate at which public employees are quitting.
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Louisiana legislature wants to use education-related funds to pay for teacher pensions without fixing core problem
The move undermines the financial resilience of Louisiana's largest public pension system.
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Is private equity a public financial hazard?
Private equity funds lack clear return and risk metrics, making it hard to assess performance before investments are redeemed, often a decade or more after the initial investment.
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Delaying Mississippi PERS reform will increase cost to taxpayers
PERS faces a $25.5 billion shortfall largely due to unfunded benefit increases, investment underperformance, and insufficient employer contributions.
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Mississippi lawmakers can take the best from other successful state pension reforms
Texas, Arizona, North Dakota and Michigan are among the states passing reforms to reduce public pension costs and debt while keeping promises to public workers.
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House Bill 2854 threatens Oklahoma’s pension progress
House Bill 2854 would re-expose Oklahoma to unnecessary unfunded liabilities, financial risks, and hidden costs that would ultimately be borne by taxpayers.
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Pennsylvania’s proposed pension bills don’t meet best practices for cost-of-living adjustments
The result would be another level of unfunded liabilities that must be paid for by Pennsylvania taxpayers.
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Texas Proposition 9 (2023): Amends the state constitution to provide a cost-of-living adjustment to teachers
Prop. 9 would increase benefits and long-term liabilities of the Texas Teacher Retirement System, which currently holds $63 billion in unfunded liabilities.
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Texas legislature should prioritize open enrollment and TRS reform in special session
School choice and public school advocates should agree to let students attend any public school with open seats and address the Teacher Retirement System's $63 billion debt.
