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.”
Sweep The Judges?
The Bulletin offers an insightful discussion of the PA Clean Sweep’s push for rejecting all judges up for retention. While we don’t offer advice on how to vote,…
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Republicans oppose system benefits charge
Patriot News on PA Republican’s continued opposition to a new electricity tax, but their seeming acceptance of the notion we need to pick winners and subsidize cost-savings measure. The…
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I-80 toll conversion speeds on
The Turnpike Commission and the PennDOT are expected to sign an I-80 lease agreement today, the Post-Gazette reports. Nothing like signing a contract to toll the road before before…
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PA Ranks 27th in FY 2008 Business Climate Index
The Tax Foundation’s latest State Business Tax Climate Index is now available. (Click here for the summary and here for the full report.) Pennsylvania ranks 27th (i.e.
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Idea Factories
Christopher DeMuth , retiring as head of AEI, has a column in the Wall Street Journal on the role think tanks play in using reseach to advance ideas…
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SCHIP: The Mad Hatter Matter
Ken Blackwell compares those pushing SCHIP expansion to the Mad Hatter of Alice in Wonderland. I, however, think their push to claim anyone who opposes higher taxes on the…
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Turnpike Chief says FHWA has approved I-80 tolling
Toll Roads News reports that PA Turnpike CEO Joe Brimmeier has been saying, while at a conference in Vienna, that the FHWA has approved I-80 tolling. We find that…
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Medical Competition Works for Patients
John Stossel’s latest commentary on health care reform. Stossel will be the keynote speaker at our Speaker Franklin Awards Dinner, honoring Richard Scaife, Nov. 14, in Pittsburgh. I…
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$9.6 million of EITC tax credits still available
From the REACH Foundation: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 $9.6 MILLION WORTH OF OPPORTUNITIES STILL AVAILABLE!Not too late for PA Businesses to participate in Tax Credit Program…
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Turnpike Commission’s “Fuzzy Math”
The latest talking points put out by the PA Turnpike Commission claim that the plan will generate $1.67 billion per year to PennDOT for transportation funding. This is substantially…
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Lawmakers have made few real reforms
Chambersburg Public Opinion assesses the reforms (or lack thereof) enacted by lawmakers…
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A mad dash to influence Pa. energy plans
Philadelphia Inquirer reports that a number of special interests are busy lobbying regarding energy policy. If you are surprised that special interests want to get a piece of the…
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Data on Jobs and Taxes
Here are a couple of interesting compilations of data: Tax Foundation analysis of IRS data – Income and Taxes by income percentileSkeptical Optimist on Job Data –…
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DeWeese proposes “ethics training”
Philadelphia Inquirer on how Bill DeWeese plans to “clean up” Harrisburg in the wake of the Attorney General’s investigation of his office in the Bonus-Gate scandal (among other things):…
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PHEAA chief asked to step down
Jan Murphy in the Patriot News on the more abrupt forced resignation of Dick Willey from PHEAA, follwing the Auditor General’s preliminary report. Apparently even board members like…
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When the Story’s Got Children, Who Needs Facts?
Amy Menefee of the Business & Media Institute on what the SCHIP expansion would really do, and the “but its for the kids” media onslaught. (Balanced coverage from…
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Video from Energy Policy Luncheon
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$7.5M bonus bonanza at PHEAA
Brett Lieberman on the latest embarrasing revelation of PHEAA’s extravagances, from the state audit of the agency. Here is the Auditor General’s news release on the interim audit…
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I-80 tolls for Transit?
Philadelphia Inquirer article repeat a claim from PA Turnpike head Joe Brimmeier that none of the tolls from I-80 would be used to fund mass transit. Of course this…
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Jesus: Roman Empire Should Provide Universal Health Care
Remember the passage in the Bible where Jesus called upon the Roman Empire to provide universal, government-run health insurance? Well, Governor Rendell says it is there: Rendell…
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SCHIP Articles
MSNBC.com article on how richer states are pushing for the SCHIP Expansion. Also Greg Mankiw posts a explanation of Bush’s position on SCHIP – a good overview, but…
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