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.”
Government Accountability
Are Secret Funding Letters Open Records?
PassOpenRecords.org asks if letters from Governor Rendell promising state funds to a variety of projects would be considered open records. They are looking for readers to comment on that…
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Lawmakers Spend Hundreds Of Thousands To See If They Misspent Money
WGAL reports that state lawmakers spent $300,000 (mostly from House Democrats) on legal fees relating to the bonusgate investigation. The headline basically says it all. Props to freshmen Eugene…
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Read More: Lawmakers Spend Hundreds Of Thousands To See If They Misspent MoneyTaxes & Economy
PA House Passes Tax Cuts
With a unanimous 197-0 vote, the Pennsylvania House Passed HB 377 which would: Roll back the Personal Income Tax rate to 2.80% over two years Reduce the Corporate Net…
Media
Read More: PA House Passes Tax CutsTaxes & Economy
Tax Rebates Will Not Stimulate The Economy
Heritage Foundation commentary on why neither tax “rebates” nor “ecnomic stimulous” spending would result in economic growth. Critics contend that rebates “inject” new money into the economy, increasing…
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Read More: Tax Rebates Will Not Stimulate The EconomyTaxes & Economy
Turnpike lease and ‘foreign’ companies
The latest news that Senate President pro tem Joe Scanarti will be introducing a “hybrid” Turnpike lease plan (Tribune Review story), which appears to be different that Senator…
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Read More: Turnpike lease and ‘foreign’ companiesGovernment Accountability
Reform is not a Rendell priority
So says Tony Phyrillas, in response to Governor Rendell’s put-down of a special session on public integrity.
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Read More: Reform is not a Rendell priorityTaxes & Economy
The Ethanol Fallacy
Popular Mechanics on The Ethanol Fallacy: So what should the government do? First off: no harm. Instead of trying to mandate specific technologies—and risk locking us into…
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Turnpike Lease Promising
Press Enterprise editorial on Senator Gordner’s Turnpike lease proposal: When looked at from an economic standpoint, it makes a lot of sense. Start with this…
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Study on “Toll Road Privatization”
A study by researchers from Penn State and Wayne State makes the claim that toll road privatization will cause several negative impacts. However, they don’t actually study “toll road…
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Read More: Study on “Toll Road Privatization”Government Accountability
Integrity in Government Special Session
The Commonwealth Foundation and nine other organizations have asked Governor Rendell to call a special session to deal with integrity in Goverment. Here is the info, courtesy Democracy Rising…
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Gordner testing the water with tolling repeal bill
State Senator John Gordner will be introducing a bill to repeal Act 44 (and I-80 tolling) that would also allow for a Turnpike PPP, The Standard-Journal reports. We have…
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Read More: Gordner testing the water with tolling repeal billGovernment Accountability
Fluid races could make Pa.’s late primary important
Peter Jackson commentary on the potential “influence” of the PA primary in April. While there has been a push to move the primary up in the calendar so that…
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Read More: Fluid races could make Pa.’s late primary importantTaxes & Economy
Why Calendars Matter
The latest story of Capitol Calendars bought at taxpayer expenses is a Tribune-Review article on Catherine Baker Knoll (as president of the Senate) getting her share. Other recent stories…
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Cutting state income tax will result in job growth
Adapted version of Matt Brouillette’s testimony appears in today’s Allentown Morning Call…
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Read More: Cutting state income tax will result in job growthTaxes & Economy
More on cutting PA Taxes
Press Enterprise editorial on the proposal to cut the income tax in Pennsylvania: You won’t hear anything even remotely like it when Big Ed makes his annual…
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Tax Cuts and the PA Economy
Altoona Mirror has a story on proposals to cut the Pennsylvania Personal Income Tax. I had a couple other comments that didn’t make it into the print edition, and…
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Can the Jaguars save the NFL?
Then NFL has been going downhill ever since Vince McMahon took over as commissioner and cast the New England Patriots as heel, much like the Iron Sheik.
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The Taj Mahal Act
In 1973 a crack commando unit was sent to a military prison for a crime they didn’t commit, and Pennslyvania lawmakers passed a “Taj Mahal Act” (Act 34 of…
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Looking a Gift Horse in the Mouth
Allegheny Institute Policy Brief questions a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center promise to give $100 million over 10 years to the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Namely, why does the…
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House GOP pushes for lower state income tax
Tony Phyrillas on today’s hearing regarding rolling back the state PIT to it’s pre-2004 level of 2.80%. Read Matt’s testimony here, or sign up for email updates…
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How you match up with Presidential candidates
Lancaster Online has posted on new tool to track how you match up, on issues, with presidential candidates. It seems to work out pretty accurately for me (a couple…
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