Iowa Talking Points — Money, Spending & Iowa's Future with Ben Murray

October 17, 2024

Ben Murray

Director of Policy and Research, Common Sense Institute Iowa

Ben Murray serves as Director of Policy and Research at the Common Sense Institute Iowa, a nonpartisan research organization based in Des Moines dedicated to analyzing the fiscal and economic impact of policy on Iowa families, businesses, and communities. Murray leads the institute's research efforts on state budget, taxation, workforce, and economic competitiveness issues. The Common Sense Institute Iowa publishes independent research and analysis to help Iowans understand the real-world impact of government decisions. Learn more at CommonSenseInstituteIA.org.

Jeff Stein of KXEL AM/FM Radio and Gentry Collins of the American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce opened this episode of Iowa Talking Points with a discussion on money, spending, and the important impact of government fiscal decisions on everyday Iowans. The conversation then turned to special guest Ben Murray — Director of Policy and Research with the Common Sense Institute Iowa, based in Des Moines — for an in-depth look at the data and research behind Iowa's fiscal landscape.

Murray — whose organization tracks the economic and fiscal impact of policy decisions on Iowa families and businesses at CommonSenseInstituteIA.org — brought a research-driven perspective to topics including state and federal spending trends, the cost of government on Iowa households, and what sound fiscal policy looks like for Iowa's future. One of Iowa Talking Points' most data-rich and policy-focused episodes, offering viewers a deeper understanding of how spending decisions in Des Moines and Washington affect life in Iowa.