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.”
Regulation
$47 million for Soccer?
Lowman Henry writes on the Lincoln Blog that $47 million for a soccer stadium doesn’t seem like a good use of tax dollars, and responds to some email comments…
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Government on a Diet – ABC 27 coverage
ABC 27 Video on our report Government on a Diet: Spending Tips 2008 Please make sure your flash player is up to date. Click here…
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Groundhog Duel – Taxpayer Funded Website
The Pennsylvania Tourism Office has a new website: Groundhog Duel. The website features a video about two 6’2″ men wearing groundhog costumes collecting bling-bling and hooking up with gorgeous…
Media
Read More: Groundhog Duel – Taxpayer Funded WebsiteHealth Care
Maine’s Failed Health Reforms
Greg Scandlen weighs in on the failure of Maine’s Dirigo Care program: 1. After 20 months of operation only 11,000 were enrolled in DirigoChoice (out of a total…
Media
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Professional licensing and the Italian Stallion
In light of recent news about state licensing boards going after eBay sellers and our discussion of professional licensing boards in Government on a Diet, here are some…
Media
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State Liquor Stores Show Age
Delco Times editorial on the need to privatize the state liquor stores. Dismissing the myth of state-run stores protecting against underage drinking (through anecdotal evidence, though a report…
Media
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Pennsylvania takes on online auctions
Philadelphia Inquirer story on the state’s pursuit of eBay sellers with no auctioneer’s license. As we pointed out on this issue before, eBay’s seller rating do a better…
Media
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Odd U-Turn on Property Tax Relief
In the House debate over property taxes relief, focusing on David Levdansky’s HB 1600 (increasing the state sales tax and person income tax to provide about $1.5 billion in…
Media
Read More: Odd U-Turn on Property Tax ReliefTaxes & Economy
Rendell’s Extreme Makeover
Jerry Bowyer’s op/ed on Governor Rendell’s extreme makeover – from a Philadelphia mayor who was: a leading “new Democrat” who had outsourced over 40 government functions, stared down…
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Monopoly Money: The control of wine and spirits in Pennsylvania
The Post-Gazette had an article on state run liquor stores (first in a four part series) over the weekend. Part 2 is here. The reader feedback for…
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Read More: Monopoly Money: The control of wine and spirits in PennsylvaniaState Budget
Bush on Earmarks
If his State of the Union Address, Bush promised to veto and/or ignore earmarks in future appropriatiosn legislation. As CAGW and Heritage point out, this would only…
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Read More: Bush on EarmarksGovernment Accountability
State of the Union Word Analyzer
This neat website analyzes State of the Union speeches with word count (Jimmy Carter gave the longest speech) and key word analysis. I like playing with the graphic…
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PTC: We Not Spread Lies
PA Turnpike Commission’s Tim Carson sent a letter to Toll Roads News in response to their story about the lack of caps on Turnpike tolls under Act…
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Read More: PTC: We Not Spread LiesGovernment Accountability
Intern at Commonwealth Foundation through Koch Fellows Program
The Charles G. Koch Summer Fellow Program is offering State-Based Policy Internships. Students interested in interning at the Commonwealth Foundation this summer need to apply by Jan…
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Read More: Intern at Commonwealth Foundation through Koch Fellows ProgramEducation
Is School Choice Enough?
A interesting discussion on City Journal on the subject of school choice. The discussion in a response to an article by Sol Stern implying that school choice advocates…
Media
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Vinsanity at PHEAA
Vince Fumo came to the defense of excesses at PHEAA, demaninding that the Auditor General stop auditing. Jan Murphy of the Patriot News has the story. Fumo contends that…
Media
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Act 44 – no cap on Turnpike tolls
Toll Roads News has a story today on the Turnpike Commission’s claim that future Turnpike Tolls would be capped (with a 25% increase in 2009 and 3% annually thereafter).
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Read More: Act 44 – no cap on Turnpike tollsTaxes & Economy
Bush Revises Stimulus Deal to ‘Rebate All of It’
Great fake news from ScrappleFace “It just makes sense,â€? said White House spokesman Dana Perino, “that if $800 per person would stimulate the economy, then giving back…
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Read More: Bush Revises Stimulus Deal to ‘Rebate All of It’Education
Good day for school choice in PA
The Commonwealth Court ruled that Chester-Upland school district could not limit the number of students enrolling in charter schools. Read the Philadelphia Inquirer story. About 40% of Chester-Upland student…
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“Profit” ins’t a dirty word either
We received an email in response to the “‘Foreign’ is not a Dirty Word” Commentary. I won’t print that whole email, but the essence was that a private company…
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Read More: “Profit” ins’t a dirty word eitherRegulation
Plan would bar linking bonuses to pensions
Rep. Sean Ramaley proposes ending the pension bump from bonuses. Currently a bonus (or other compensation, such as “unvouchered expenses”) increases the salary used to calculate pensions for state…
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