Nathan Benefield
Senior Vice President
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 senior vice president, 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.”
Taxes & Economy
What are “purely conservative principles”?
Michael Smerconish comments on the “blueing” of the Philadelphia suburbs (HT: Grassroots PA). Smerconish dismisses the idea that residents are fleeing Philadelphia for the suburbs, noting that…
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“Stupid Hicks” Oppose Big Government
I wasn’t going to post anything on Barack Obama’s comments about people “clinging” to guns and religion, until Philadelphia Daily News columnist John Baer offered his Obama can…
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Read More: “Stupid Hicks” Oppose Big GovernmentTaxes & Economy
‘Government cannot spend its way out of a recession’
Tony Phyrillas summarizes the House Republicans’ tax reduction package unveiled today. The legislation includes:· Implementing Compete PA business tax relief, which includes removing the cap on net…
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Penn Pike may require larger toll increases
More bad news on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission – Toll Roads News reports that Fitch Ratings has downgraded the PTC’s bond rating, saying that the Act 44 promises may…
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Read More: Penn Pike may require larger toll increasesState Budget
Bringing home the bacon gets a slap in the face
The York Daily Record has an article on state lawmakers and administration officials’ penchant for posing with cardboard checks – i.e. “Ed McMahon syndrome” – prompted by Senator…
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Read More: Bringing home the bacon gets a slap in the faceTaxes & Economy
10 Businesses Facing Extinction in 10 Years
Entrepreneur.com has an intriguing article on businesses facing extinction (HT Carpe Diem). Some of the selections are obvious, and have already seen major declines (pay phones, camera film…
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Why are taxpayers still subsidizing the Turnpike?
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is objecting vigorously to the notion that they are among the least efficient toll roads, along with touting their subsidies to the state (which are…
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Read More: Why are taxpayers still subsidizing the Turnpike?Education
Edifice Complex at Work
In our report, Edifice Complex: Where has all the Money Gone we looked at the fastest growing cost for school districts, and what is driving property taxes…
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PA Turnpike’s Operating Costs
In the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review article on Reason’s report that the PA Turnpike is one of the least efficient toll roads in the nation (see here), the Turnpike Commission…
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Read More: PA Turnpike’s Operating CostsTaxes & Economy
PA’s “liberal” population shift
The Philadelphia Inquirer has an article remarking on Pennsylvania’s demographic changes, noting that the state is gaining population in the eastern part and losing population in the west –…
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Pennsylvania Turnpike Is One of the Country’s Least Cost-Efficient Toll Roads
A new study by the Reason Foundation finds that the Pennsylvania Turnpike is among the nation’s most inefficient roads. They also analyze the study produced, at taxpayer expense,…
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Read More: Pennsylvania Turnpike Is One of the Country’s Least Cost-Efficient Toll RoadsTaxes & Economy
Another Mediocre Rank for PA Business Climate
The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council has new report on Business Tax Index 2008, look at the best tax climate for small businesses. Pennsylvania, as has been a recurring…
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Read More: Another Mediocre Rank for PA Business ClimateGovernment Accountability
“Per Diems” Add Up
RocktheCapital has analyzed and released expense reports for one lawmaker, David Argall of Schuykill County, finding that he collected $15,000 in “per diems” (compensation above and beyond salary, ostensibly…
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Read More: “Per Diems” Add UpEducation
Mapping Graduation Rates
Education Week has an interactive tool to map the graduation rates of states and school districts (based on the recent analysis by America’s Promise Alliance). Here is the…
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When is a college basketball game “over”?
If you like sports and you like math then Bill James’s calculator to determine when a college basketball game is out of reach should be interesting (if not, then…
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Read More: When is a college basketball game “over”?Taxes & Economy
Eminent Domain post-Kelo
The Cato Daily Podcast for today covers state eminent domain reform reforms since Kelo. For more visit the Castle Coalition, and their report on state eminent domain…
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Congressional Ratings from National Taxpayers Union
The National Taxpayers Union has released their 2007 Congressional Rankings. As for the PA Delegation: Pitts A 87% (“Taxpayers’ Friend”)Shuster B 74% (“Good”)Peterson C+ 62% (“Satisfactory”)…
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Read More: Congressional Ratings from National Taxpayers UnionTaxes & Economy
“No Cardboard Checks”
One of my favorite sources for the inside scoop from the Capitol is Senator Eichelberger’s blog. In his latest post, he describes his refusal to participate in handing out…
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Read More: “No Cardboard Checks”Taxes & Economy
Global temperatures ‘to decrease’
BBC report on a decade of “global cooling”.
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Read More: Global temperatures ‘to decrease’Education
The Real Cost of Public Schools
Andrew Coulson has an article in the Washington Post and a more detailed version on the Cato-at-liberty blog contrasting public school spending ($24,000 per pupil) and private school…
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Read More: The Real Cost of Public SchoolsTaxes & Economy
Big Oil vs. Big Ethanol
Everyone in Pennsylvania (save the Amish, who are also unlikely to be reading this blog) must have heard or seen the Barack Obama, anti-“Big Oil” ad dozens of…
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