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.”
Regulation
Legislators plan hearings on privatizing liquor stores
Post-Gazette on the push for privatization of state-run liquor stores. More on State Store privatization: “Public Benefits of Private Liquor” news release and testimony from Reason Foundation…
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Read More: Legislators plan hearings on privatizing liquor storesTaxes & Economy
The ACLU gets it right for once
Tony Phyrillas on the ACLU’s defense of property owners’ right to put campaign signs in their yard in South Park (not that South Park).
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Mickey Goes to Washington
Washington Post article on Walt Disney and other lobbyists pushing for taxpayer subsidies for tourism. If you don’t want to know how the sausage is made, don’t read this…
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Read More: Mickey Goes to WashingtonRegulation
Lackawanna County: Where’s the Film?
Another case study on corporate welfare for the film industry was featured in the Morning Call. Lackwanna County officials are wondering what happened to the $500,000 of taxpayer money…
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Read More: Lackawanna County: Where’s the Film?State Budget
State’s economy, budget are at odds
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review question the Rendell administration’s glorious reviews of the state’s economy. The size of the state’s economy grew about 20 percent from 1997 to 2006, but…
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Read More: State’s economy, budget are at oddsTaxes & Economy
JFK gives Rendell advice on “economic stimulus”
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Read More: JFK gives Rendell advice on “economic stimulus”Government Accountability
‘Black ops’ in the Legislature
Brad Bumsted on the “Black Ops” of BonusGate: The legality of bonuses might not be resolved for some time. But it’s clear that they were wrong, handled “off…
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Read More: ‘Black ops’ in the LegislatureTaxes & Economy
Is Rendell’s rebate legal?
John Micek in the Morning Call raises some key issues as to Governor Rendell’s proposed “rebate” for low-income Pennsylvanians. First, that the using the Budget Stabilization Reserve (or “Rainy…
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Read More: Is Rendell’s rebate legal?Regulation
Study: Smoking Bans increase drunk driving
A new study in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Public Economics finds that “smoking bans increase drunken-driving fatalities”; reported on the Marginal Revolution blog. This effect is…
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Read More: Study: Smoking Bans increase drunk drivingEducation
The School Choice Gold Standard
The Friedman Foundation has a new report grading the various scholarship, voucher, and tax credit programs across the US on three categories – student restrictions (how many students can…
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Read More: The School Choice Gold Standard
VIDEO: Critics Say Turnpike Needs Reform
NBC 5 Video on the Turnpike Commission’s dining expenses charged to drivers. They spent a mindboggling total of $1,800 at Haydn’s on Pine in Harrisburg in June 2007 (when…
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Read More: VIDEO: Critics Say Turnpike Needs ReformTaxes & Economy
Ethanol: Another dose of snake oil?
Another article, from the Star-Tribune, on the hype of ethanol, which summarizes the issue pretty well: 1)Ethanol results in more carbon emissions – “By clearing forests and grasslands…
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Read More: Ethanol: Another dose of snake oil?Taxes & Economy
Federal “Stimulus” Rebate Calculator
Here is a tool to calculate for federal rebate under the federal “stimulus” package, courtesy of Consumerism Commentary Blog. (You will need to have or know your 2007 federal…
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Read More: Federal “Stimulus” Rebate CalculatorState Budget
Borrowing in 2008-09 Budget
Below is some more analysis of the proposed borrowing in Governor Rendell’s proposed budget – $2.6 billion in debt will be issued in 2008-09. (More on PA’s Total Debt…
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Read More: Borrowing in 2008-09 BudgetWelfare
The Lesson of Ebenezer Scrooge
Fantastic article in the Freeman compares and contrasts Ebenezer Scrooge to the proponents of the welfare state: The treadmill, poor law, and union workhouses to which Scrooge…
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Read More: The Lesson of Ebenezer ScroogeGovernment Accountability
State bonus probe widens to Senate’s GOP caucus
The Bonus-Gate investigation extends to the Senate GOP, the Patriot News reports. Former staffer-turned-lobbyist Mike Long was one recipient whe defended the bonus process: Long, a former…
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Read More: State bonus probe widens to Senate’s GOP caucusEducation
School choice suggested for Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review discusses how a Milwaukee-like school choice program might work in Pittsburgh, after speaking with former Milwaukee mayor John Norquist. Norquist will be speaking at an event on…
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Read More: School choice suggested for PittsburghTaxes & Economy
‘Stimulus’ Nonsense
Arthur Laffer in the Wall Street Journal on the Stimulus Nonsense of robbing Peter to pay Paul: All of the stimulative effects of the rebate to the recipients…
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Read More: ‘Stimulus’ NonsenseGovernment Accountability
Rendell: Conservatives don’t like Black people
Gov. Rendell said today that conservatives (or at least a small, but meaningful percentage) “are probably not ready to vote for an African-American candidate.” He attributes his margin of…
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Read More: Rendell: Conservatives don’t like Black peopleEducation
Don’t write off vouchers
Robert Enlow in USA Today on the merits of school voucher programs. Enlow is providing the counterpoint to a piece arguing for moving away from the push for…
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Read More: Don’t write off vouchersGovernment Accountability
Mommy, why is Vince Fumo in our kitchen?
The latest Vince Fumo for Senate ad ends with a little girl asking,”Mommy, why is that man in our kitchen?” Oh, so many punchlines to choose from. I’m going…
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