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.”
Creating a Free, Searchable Website of State Spending
Policy Note by our colleagues at theWashington Policy Center on creating a state-level, searchable online database of spending. Examples of online budget databases include Georgia, Texas, and…
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A Brief History of Christmas
This Wall Street Journal article on the History of Christmas has little to do with policy (unless there is some debate over ending Christmas as a federal holiday), but…
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‘It’s been a very difficult lesson’
Interview with Bill DeWeese in the Patriot News on his role in Bonusgate. His answers: 1) Didn’t know about bonuses ($1.9 million), 2) Will consider reforming legislative spending, 3)…
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Citigroup Study Supported Act 44, Citigroup Makes Millions
As many who have been following the Act 44/I-80 Tolling fiasco are aware, the Turnpike Commission used a Citigroup Analysis to support their push for Act 44, tolling of…
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Pew Trusts on State Pension Crunch
Pew Trusts analsysis of the looming state pension and retiree health care crisis in Pennsylvania. Index to 50-state analysis here.
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Another Poor State Economy Ranking for PA
The Beacon Hill Institute has released their State Competitiveness Report 2007. Pennsylvania ranks 34th out of 50, based on Government and Fiscal Policy, Security, Infrastructure, Human Resources, Technology,…
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Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Borrows Today, You Pay the Taxes Tomorrow
FreedomWorks calls for an end to Turnpike Commission borrowing (based on the increasingly unlikely promise of I-80 tolling) and pursuing public-private partnerships in transportation.
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Superintendent Contracts
The Altoona Mirror has put together an extensive list of information on superintendent pay and contracts for all 501 school districts (at least the 447 they obtained information from).
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Biggest factor in rising health costs are the doctors themselves
Editorial in Dallas Morning News (by a doctor), details why health care costs to much (in part) – doctors order too many tests. The two reasons for this are…
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Tax Free Christmas Presents
For those of you still shopping for Christmas gifts – here is a list of gift ideas, based on products that are exempt from the Pennsylvania Sales Tax: Food…
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Pension Payment Update
Update on the coming pension spike from the mid-year briefing report (page 103). Click on image for larger version.
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College affordability
Richard Vedder and the Center for College Affordability and Productivity have a new short report on the cost of college and state spending on higher education. Among the…
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52,000 New K-8 Students, 42,500 New K-8 Teachers.
Education Intelligence Agency Communique on the discrepancy between school enrollment and school hires: The National Education Association today released its annual report, Rankings and Estimates: Rankings of the…
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E-mails show how Dems tied staffers’ bonuses to campaign work
Dennis Roddy and Tracie Mauriello have a detailed account of BonusGate among the House Democrats in the Post-Gazette, including analysis of several incriminating emails they obtained.
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Turnpike CEO’s spin on I-80 tolling
Following the return of the PennDOT-PTC bid to toll I-80 (See our news release here), Turnpike CEO Brimmeier is in full spin mode. From the Post-Gazette:…
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The Gospel of Paul
Wall Street Journal’s Kimberley Strassell on the lessons of Ron Paul. Take note: “Compassionate conservatism” was a smart move on George W. Bush’s part, maybe even…
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Feds Decline I-80 Toll Application (Told you so)
The FHWA has declined the state’s application to toll I-80. Paul Nussbuam in the Inquirer reports: Pennsylvania is seeking authority to toll I-80 under a federal pilot program…
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Taxpayer money for soccer?
Its looking more likely that taxpayers will buy a new soccer stadium. Paris Hilton Gov. Rendell, who never has enough money to hand out: “It seems to me there…
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Pa. Senate approves “Rendell Lite”
With an easy 44-5 vote, the PA Senate approved spending $650M over 10 years on alternative energy. With this vote, Senate Republicans have drawn a line in the sand:…
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The Freshman Earmarkers
I’ve heard of the “freshmen fifteen”, but how about the freshmen $70 million? The six freshmen members of congress who have delivered the most in “earmarks” all hail from PA,…
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Turnpike Bond Attorney defends Turnpike Bonding
The Patriot News ran Tim Carson’s defense of Act 44 today. I pointed out his six inaccurate claims in an earlier blog post, including the hilarious knee-slapper “I…
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