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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Analysis of South Carolina Senate Bill 176
Senate Bill 176 would provide new hires a secure and attractive retirement plan that better protects the state's taxpayers.
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Analysis of Texas Senate Bill 321
Senate Bill 321 could save the state as much as $15 billion in long term costs and ensure that new employees' retirement benefits are fully funded.
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How to Make Positive Changes to the South Carolina Retirement System
This series of one-pagers aims to explain how a state can transition to a new retirement plan design, the benefits of expanding retirement plan choice for South Carolina's workers, and more.
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Florida Retirement Cost Increases Highlight the Need for Pension Reform
Florida legislators will have to address an additional $2.3 billion in FRS costs in the next eight years.
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Montana Public Employee Retirement System (MPERS) Pension Solvency Analysis
The Montana Public Employee Retirement System public pension plan is only 74 percent funded.
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North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System Pension Solvency Analysis
The public pension plan has only 68 percent of the assets needed to fully fund the system in the long-term.
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New Mexico Educational Retirement Board Pension Solvency Analysis
New Mexico's Educational Retirement Board has $7.9 billion in unfunded pension liabilities.
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Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System (LASERS) Pension Solvency Analysis
The Louisiana State Employees' Retirement System has only 64 percent of the assets needed to fully fund the pension system.
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Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana Pension Solvency Analysis
The latest, official numbers reveal that the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana now has over $10 billion in unfunded pension liabilities.
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Teacher Retirement System of Texas Solvency Analysis
Investment returns failing to meet unrealistic expectations have been the largest contributor to the public pension plan's unfunded liabilities, adding over $30 billion in debt since 2001.
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New Mexico Public Employees Retirement Association Solvency Analysis
PERA administrators and stakeholders are likely to face persistent challenges made more pronounced by ongoing market and revenue volatility.
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Mississippi Public Employees’ Retirement System Solvency Analysis
Underperforming investment returns have been the biggest contributor to the growing unfunded liability, adding $6.8 billion in debt to the system since 2001.
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Answering Frequently Asked Questions About COVID-19 and Public Pensions
This resource, designed for state legislators and staff, will assist in answering crucial questions regarding how the pandemic and resulting market conditions have affected state sponsored public pension plans.
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Arkansas Teacher Retirement System Pension Solvency Analysis
Investment returns failing to meet unrealistic expectations has been the single largest contributor to unfunded liability growth, adding $1.9 billion in debt to ATRS since 2000.