Nathan Benefield
Chief Policy Officer
An Ohio native, Nate holds an undergraduate degree in political science and economics and a master’s degree in public service management from DePaul University in Chicago. He also completed his doctoral studies (ABD) in political science at Loyola University, also in Chicago.
Nate joined the Commonwealth Foundation in 2005. Now as Chief Policy Officer , he provides strategic leadership as well as operational oversight spanning policy analysis, government relations, marketing, and communications.
Nate has researched and written extensively on public policy issues including the state budget, public sector labor reform, government spending and taxes, liquor privatization, education, and economic development. Under Nate’s policy leadership, the Commonwealth Foundation’s work on public sector pension law helped drive the bipartisan pension reform of 2017, heralded by the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post as an example for other states to follow.
Nate has testified numerous times before state legislative committees and is often called upon by legislators and members of the media to provide expertise. He is a frequent commentator on both television and radio, and his writings have appeared across the state and nationally in outlets including the Philadelphia Inquirer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Patriot-News, and Weekly Standard.
Nate’s favorite rock song and personal motto are both “Don’t Stop Believin.”
Health Care
High Risk Pools
One of the key recommendations from Rick Dreyfuss’s health care testimony last week which received a number of questions was creating a state high risk pool. CAHI has…
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Judicial Merit Selection?
“Robin Hood” writes on the Keystone Politics Blog against the idea of judicial merit selection. In a pre-rebuttal, JudgesonMerit offers an analysis of what critics of merit selection…
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The Proposed Mortage Bailout
Here are a few resources on the proposed federal mortgage bailout. FreedomWorks has a new site on this issue called AngryRenter.com Heritage Foundation’s research on the “Mortgage…
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Read More: The Proposed Mortage BailoutState Budget
Did Pork cause bridge collapse?
Yahoo! News has a story about McCain “backing off” an earlier statement that pork barrel projects caused the Minnesota bridge collapse. However, while earmarks didn’t cause the bridge to…
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Read More: Did Pork cause bridge collapse?Public Union Democracy
Right-to-Work leads to Economic Growth
The Mackinac Center has a brief analysis the economic climate of Right to Work states and Forced Unionism states. Mark Perry sums it up nicely: What are…
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How much are you getting in Property Tax Relief?
PDE has released the amount each Pennsylvania homeowner and farmstead owner will get in property tax relief in 2008-09 from gambling revenue. (Note: if you own rental property, own…
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Read More: How much are you getting in Property Tax Relief?State Budget
Who Gets Farm Subsidies
Environmental Working Group has a comprehensive database of US farm subsidies. (HT Club for Growth). Here are Pennsylvania’s top recipients in 2007.
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Ethanol and Rendell
Many are calling for an end to ethanol mandates because of how they drive up food costs: Aid workers and others contend diverting more than a a quarter…
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Five Ways to Lower Gasoline Prices
Video from the Heritage Foundation:…
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Bevy of School Choice Articles/Research
A number of articles came across my email and blog reader, and I decided to put them all into one post. The Philadelphia Bulletin has a write-up…
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Read More: Bevy of School Choice Articles/ResearchHealth Care
Health Care Affordability Debated
Today’s health care hearing, at which Commonwealth Foundation Senior Fellow Rick Dreyfuss testified, will be airing on PCN tonight; check here for future airings. The York Dispatch also did…
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Read More: Health Care Affordability DebatedGovernment Accountability
Fumo: fighting to keep slavery outlawed
State Senator Vince Fumo said Tuesday that “If we introduced a bill on slavery, it might pass …I know some people up here, especially on a secret ballot, it would…
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Edifice Complex Video
Here is the video from yesterday’s lucheon on public school spending and cyber schools. (The Commonwealth Foundation report referenced can be found here.) Visit EdificeComplex.org for…
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Read More: Edifice Complex VideoRegulation
House Committee Votes to Increase Pensions/Property Taxes
The House State Government Committee passed a Pension COLA bill – AP Story here – which would require a dramatic increase in spending (on top of the expected higher…
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Read More: House Committee Votes to Increase Pensions/Property TaxesRegulation
Two opportunities to shrink state government
Williamsport SunGazette on the deliver on the promise of smaller government by privatizing the Turnpike Commmission and the Liquor Control Board. Also read Matt Brouillette’s commentary on those…
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Smoke Freedom Day II
CBS 21 has a video of “Smoke Freedom Day” protest in Harrisburg. That’s me in the video, absorbing second-hand smoke to make a political statement, like Sam Adams.
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Federal Stimulus Rebate Calculator
Since federal “stimulus” tax rebates will start going out electronically this week (and checks will be mailed in the next few weeks), I thought I’d repost this calculator for…
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Read More: Federal Stimulus Rebate CalculatorEducation
A Primer on Pennsylvania Cyber Schools
Executive Summary An increasing number of parents are choosing Pennsylvania’s cyber charter schools for their children every year. Between 2001 and 2006, enrollment grew from 1,848 to almost 16,000 students.
Fact Sheet
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Tails. You’re Fired!
Most everyone know that public school teachers get paid, tranfered, hired and fired in accordance with union-developed rules of seniority. But what happens when that seniority is equal? Answer:…
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PA Leadership Conference Round-up
The PA Leadership Conference this past weekend was a great success. Of the keynote speakers, I thought Michael’s Steele gave the best (and funniest) spech (the videos will be…
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Pittsburgh-area man arrested for complaining about government
A Bridgeville man was arrested for harassment for doing too much complaining to, and about, his government officials. “In section 2709 of the Pennsylvania crimes code, dealing with…
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