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, 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, 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 a MA in public policy from Tel Aviv University.
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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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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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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 legislature continues bipartisan push to modernize public retirement benefits
But the state’s most intractable public pension challenge—addressing the Teacher Retirement System’s $51 billion of debt and unsustainable fiscal path—remains.
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Montana makes public pension progress but major opportunities remain
The major policies adopted this spring will help protect the state's public pensions.
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“The Liability Trap” authors’ critique of pension fiduciary model misses the mark
Requiring a fiduciary responsible for public dollars to adhere to objective criteria and remain oriented towards achieving the pecuniary goals of the pension trust is the most basic policy.
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Is Texas’ definition of an actuarially sound public pension system outdated?
With this year's high inflation rates hitting retirees living on fixed incomes the hardest, it is not surprising that retiree groups and their allies are advocating for a cost-of-living adjustment.
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Louisiana legislature considers several bills that would change public pensions and impact taxpayers
These bills come with costs and trade-offs that put millions of taxpayer dollars on the line.
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Report finds ‘oversights’ and ‘lack of transparency’ led to Pennsylvania pension system error
The Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS) is increasingly dependent on highly specialized and expensive consultants to meet its fiduciary responsibilities.
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Follow up analysis of the Texas Sunset Advisory Committee’s recommendations for the Texas Teacher Retirement System
According to the Texas Sunset Commission staff report, the Teacher Retirement System of Texas increased the pension system's alternative investment allocation by 26% between 2010 and 2020.
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Outdated retirement benefits could be contributing to public employee hiring issues
The one-size-fits-all pension plans offered to most educators and public workers around the country can make working in the public sector less attractive.
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Testimony: Recommendations for the FRS Investment Plan
Adjustments to Florida's public defined contribution retirement plan could better serve employees and taxpayers.
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Environmental and social investing can put taxpayers and public pension funds at risk
Making the world a better place does not put money into a public pension fund struggling to meet its funding requirements, nor does it pay for the benefits or cost-of-living adjustments promised to retirees.
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Structural Problems Cause Public Pension Systems to Look to Alternative Investments
Pension systems should ensure employee and employer contributions are at the proper levels and their investment return rate assumptions reflect the realistic long-term market and economic conditions.
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How to address Montana’s underfunded public pension plans
This analysis explores previous attempts to fund Montana's public pension plans and suggests new policies to consider.
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The Teacher Retirement System of Texas Is in Need of Serious Reform
After prudent reforms to the Employee Retirement System, the Texas legislature is considering bills that ignore the need to reform the Teacher Retirement System.
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These States Are Leading the Way on Pension Reform
State and local leaders seeking to make lasting improvements to government finances should look to Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Michigan.