GUEST COLUMN.

As Iowa’s State Auditor, my job is to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and well, regardless of who is in charge. That’s why I launched the Public Innovations and Efficiencies (PIE) program in 2019, and it has been helping save tax dollars ever since.

Since its inception, PIE has been embraced across Iowa by public servants looking to stretch their budgets further and reduce waste. By providing practical, easily adaptable recommendations, easily accessible through a checklist, PIE helps local leaders find new ways to save taxpayer money while still delivering quality public services.

Iowans – like people in almost all the states – work hard to make ends meet, and this initiative is helping local governments in every county do more with less money. At a time when many states are launching efficiency efforts, I believe that PIE can be a national model.

The recipe for PIE’s success is simple: local leaders recognize that small changes can lead to big savings. Nearly all of Iowa’s counties, hundreds of cities, and nearly one-third of Iowa’s school districts have already taken part, proving that good ideas spread quickly when they deliver real results.

Some of the most successful PIE recommendations have been simple, yet effective:

• Local governments have created new revenue streams by collecting, then selling methane gas produced by the local landfill, which is normally just lit on fire.

  
  

• One community installed an underground chiller to cut air conditioning costs in the summer.

  
  

• Even seemingly small actions, like switching to electronic communications instead of paper mailings, moving a couch away from the wall to allow for more efficient airflow, or adjusting heating and cooling schedules, add up to significant savings over time.

One of the reasons PIE has gained such broad support is because efficiency isn’t political—it’s just smart governance. Whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, or independent, everyone agrees that taxpayer money should be used wisely. That’s why PIE has found champions in both red and blue counties, in Iowa’s rural communities and largest cities alike. Government at all levels should operate as efficiently as possible, and the fact that so many Iowans—across all 99 counties—have embraced PIE is a testament to the program’s practical value.

Each year, our office celebrates the achievements of local government saving taxpayer dollars with our annual PIE Awards, which recognize the cities, counties, and school districts that have implemented the most cost-saving measures. I hand-deliver an actual pie to the winners, and we eat it together. Who doesn’t like that?

One of the reasons it’s fun to be able to do the PIE visits with our winners is that I get to talk to people about the work that they’re doing and connect with Iowans at the local level about what’s going on and hear what we could be doing better.

Iowa’s PIE program has been so successful that the Mississippi State Auditor, a Republican, copied the program for use in his own state—even keeping the name. The PIE program was also replicated in 2024 by the Comptroller of the City of Baltimore, who is a Democrat. That’s the genius of good policy and good government: it doesn’t matter who gets the credit, as long as the job gets done.

Government, like any business or household, should always look for ways to operate more efficiently. By embracing innovation and collaboration, we can ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and that essential public services remain strong. Whether it’s through shared services, process upgrades, or simple operational tweaks, there’s always room for improvement.

For those who haven’t yet explored PIE, I encourage you to do so. Every dollar saved through efficiency is a dollar that can be used to better serve residents.  And when it comes to fiscal responsibility, we should all be on the same page.

The contents of this Guest Column are those of the author, and not necessarily Barrett and Greene, Inc.  

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