Warning! Your browser is extremely outdated and not web standards compliant.
Your browsing experience would greatly improve by upgrading to a modern browser.

Ben Murrey

Director of Policy and Research

For media inquiries, please contact cinamon@csinstituteus.org

Ben Murrey is Iowa Director of Policy and Research with the Common Sense Institute where he leads the research efforts of CSI Iowa to provide insightful, accurate and actionable information about the impact of public policy on Iowa families, businesses and communities. Prior to joining CSI, Ben spent over a decade in public policy roles at the state and federal levels, including as a U.S. Senate aide and as fiscal policy center director at Independence Institute, a free market think tank in Colorado. In addition to leading reports on a range of fiscal, tax and economic issues, Ben’s writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, National Review, Real Clear Policy, and more. His work has contributed to public policy change that advanced sound tax policy and free enterprise at the state and federal levels. 

Expert's Work
View All
Energy & Our Environment
Iowa’s Renewable Advantage: Driving Jobs, Growth, and Property Tax Relief

In 2025, renewable energy supplied roughly 62% of Iowa’s electric grid.

Education
Educate. Graduate. Leave. - The $96 Billion Price Tag of Iowa's Public University Brain Drain

Across Iowa’s three public universities, on average only half of all graduates remain in Iowa ten years after graduation

Banking & Finance
Keeping Local Tax Dollars Local

Iowa’s local governments held $2.5 billion in public funds with ISJIT and IPAIT.

Housing & Our Community
Housing Affordability in Iowa: Q3 2025

Iowa has the 11th most affordable housing market relative to what residents earn.

Report: Midwest inflation rates cooling but families still feeling the pinch
The Center Square

Inflation increased 0.2% in the midwest in May, the lowest rate all year.

June 12, 2024 Ben Murrey
Jobs & Our Economy
New analysis concludes recent Iowa income tax cuts will lead to job gains
Kiwa Radio

The latest round of state income tax cuts may create up to 68-hundred new jobs in Iowa next year.

June 08, 2024 Ben Murrey
Taxes & Fees
Study finds 2024 income tax cuts will result in $1.85 billion in tax savings over 10 years
Ottumwa Courier

A study from an Iowa research institute found that the latest individual income tax cuts will result in $1.85 billion in tax savings.

June 04, 2024 Ben Murrey
Taxes & Fees
Study: Income tax cuts will save $1.85 billion
Southeast Iowa Union

The latest individual income tax cuts will result in $1.85 billion in tax savings for income tax payers in the next decade.

June 04, 2024 Ben Murrey
State Budget
Iowa's DOGE Prototype and Its Results featuring Ben Murrey

The state of Iowa does not have a Department of Government Efficiency, however, Iowa lawmakers began improving government efficiency through a state initiative known as “alignment."

February 24, 2025 Ben Murrey
Workforce
Boosting Iowa's Economy: The Childcare Solutions Fund featuring Sherri Penney

Without affordable and reliable childcare, parents’—especially mothers—miss out on work. Learn more about the causes, solutions, potential impacts, and how childcare profoundly affects Iowa's workforce.

November 20, 2024 Ben Murrey
Healthcare
Iowa's Healthcare Landscape featuring Dr. Chelsea Lensing

Iowa’s policymakers, providers, and insurers operate within a state comprised of an aging population and large rural areas.