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.”
Education
Budget Preview
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story previews Rendell’s budget proposal, including “Rebuilding Pennsylvania”, involving a three-year, $860 million ($287/year average) in new spending on infrastructure, mostly through new borrowing. He also promises…
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Equity and Health Care
Wall Street Journal editorial looks at reforming health care through the tax code. That is, giving individuals the same tax benefits in buying health insurance as employers, along with…
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Read More: Equity and Health CareState Budget
Scarnati to Push Spending Limits?
The Patriot News profiles Senate Pro Tem Joe Scarnati and it looks like he will be putting the Taxpayer Protection Act as a top priority, and even suggests…
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Read More: Scarnati to Push Spending Limits?Regulation
Specter and the NFL
The response to news that Arlen Specter wants to hold hearing with the NFL over “spy-gate” has been met with universal disdain – see, for instance, Don Boudreaux’s…
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Climate Debate Daily
New website, Climate Debate Daily, features the latest updates on the debate over global warming – what is occuring, why it is occuring, and what to do about it…
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Read More: Climate Debate DailyTaxes & Economy
Understanding the Laffer Curve
Center for Freedom and Propserity provides this video on the Laffer Curve. The key points are that 1)Most tax cuts spur economic growth and provide “feedback” tax revenue. 2)…
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Read More: Understanding the Laffer CurveEducation
Voucher foes hurt poor kids
Editorial in the Chicago Sun Times on President Bush’s “Pell Grants for Kids” and the unions’ mindless rhetoric denouncing school choice.
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Read More: Voucher foes hurt poor kidsGovernment Accountability
Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader
This weekend, sports fans have the ineviable choice of rooting for Luke Skywalker or for Darth Vader in the Super Bowl. Yes, Luke is whiny and obnoxious (read: Eli Manning),…
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Read More: Luke Skywalker vs. Darth VaderRegulation
$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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Read More: $47 million for Soccer?Taxes & Economy
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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Read More: Government on a Diet – ABC 27 coverageTaxes & Economy
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…
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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…
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Read More: Maine’s Failed Health ReformsRegulation
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…
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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…
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Read More: State Liquor Stores Show AgeRegulation
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…
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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…
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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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Read More: Rendell’s Extreme MakeoverRegulation
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 Lies