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. 

Research

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Education
Market Demand Assessment – University of Iowa Center for Intellectual Freedom
Introduction In 2025, the Iowa legislature enacted House File 437, directing the University of Iowa to establish a Center for…
Workforce
Population and Prosperity: Iowa’s Demographic Trends
Introduction New data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows Iowa’s population grew less in 2025 than the last two years,…
Workforce
Degrees without Demand: Inside the Talent Mismatch Costing Iowa Growth and Graduates
Introduction In its July 2025 report, “People—Iowa’s Most Value Export,” CSI found Iowa ranked seventh nationally in cumulative net outmigration…
Free Enterprise Report
Free Enterprise Report: 2026 Edition
The Free Enterprise Report is a marquis report that provides an objective, non-partisan, fact-based analysis of the Iowa economic landscape…

Podcasts

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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…

February 24, 2025


Ben Murrey
Workforce
Boosting Iowa’s Economy: The Childcare Solutions Fund featuring Sherri Penney
Like other states across the nation, Iowa faces a severe shortage of quality affordable childcare. Research by the Iowa Women’s…

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. According to…
Caitlin Clarkonomics and the Impact on Iowa featuring Ben Murrey
University of Iowa’s homegrown star, Caitlin Clark, began her college basketball career playing in empty arenas at the height of…

April 3, 2024


Ben Murrey

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