In her Condition of the State speech in January, Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds noted recent efforts to consolidate state agencies, centralize programs and reduce regulations, which she said had already saved Iowans $217 million. In 2023, the governor signed legislation to shrink the state’s 37 executive-level Cabinet agencies down to 16 and changed some of the powers of the governor and attorney general.
“We were doing DOGE before DOGE was a thing,” Reynolds said.
But in her address, Reynolds announced the launch of a state DOGE advisory body, which will be led by Emily Schmitt, a prominent business leader and Reynolds campaign donor. To pass meaningful property tax reform, Reynolds said Iowa must find more savings in state and local government.
Iowa Democrats noted that the state constitution already requires a government watchdog, the state auditor — currently Rob Sand, the only Democrat elected to statewide office.
In 2023, Reynolds signed a bill limiting the auditor’s access to certain information and barring his office from suing state agencies.
Sand, widely speculated to be a potential gubernatorial candidate, called it the “greatest pro-corruption bill and the worst perversion of checks and balances in Iowa’s history.”
“We have someone who has a whole office whose job is to work on this,” said Democratic state Rep. Adam Zabner. “I think we’re more likely to find efficiencies through the state auditor who Iowans elected to that role than we are through a major supporter of the governor’s campaigns.”
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