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.”
School Tax Referendums
The Philadelphia Inquirer is the first PA newspaper that I have seen to endorse a “Yes” vote on the Act 1 tax shift (I have seen several endorsing a…
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More Turnpike Lease Distortions
The Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association (PMTA) issued a news release claiming that voters overwhelming disapprove a Turnpike lease and citing exorbitant toll increases in Indiana. While elected officials should…
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Read More: More Turnpike Lease Distortions
GrowPA: Agitate for Change
GrowPA.com, an interactive website promoting pro-growth policies, limited government, and government reform (chaired by fromer Lt. Governor and Commonwealth Foundation Board Member Bill Scranton) has launched today – featuring…
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State Money Spent To Lobby State Officials
Ben Simmoneau for WGAL on the use of state money to lobby for more state money – specifically highlighting PHEAA and the Turnpike Commission, but taxpayer-funded lobbying included state…
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P3s could build Mon-Fayette Expressway
Private firms are being asked to enter bids to develop and run the Mon-Fayette Expressway: see Tribune-Review and Post-Gazette coverage. Using Public-Private Partnerships for new construction is one…
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Who are the judges?
For those of you who are neither lawyers or criminals and are looking for more info about the judicial candidates before next Tuesday’s primary, here are various surveys/voter guides.
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Cost and Size of General Assembly debated
Brad Bumsted on the Speaker’s Reform Commission hearing on reducing the size of the legislature. While an NCSL analyst testified to the fact that Pennsylvania has the 2nd…
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Ethanol Gold Rush Carries Costs
The rush to mandate and subsidize ethanol may turn out to be fools gold, from NCPA: Last year, about 4.9 billion gallons of ethanol were produced. Within…
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Education vouchers: Free to choose, and learn
Economist.com article on the benefits of school choice, both for students receiving vouchers and for those remaining in public schools. This augments the Friedman Foundation report showing…
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Expanding School Choice in PA
Rep. Civera proposes increasing the cap on Educational Improvement Tax Credits to $109 million. This announcment nearly coincides with a report finding that the EITC saved taxpayers nearly…
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Budget Bill Introduced
The bill for the General Fund budget, House Bill 1286, was introduced without fanfare yesterday. There is no spreadsheet summary yet, but I was told it is not different…
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Strike possible as talks break off
Patriot-News on a looming teacher strike in the Annville-Cleona district. Visit Stop Teachers Strikes, Inc for salary info on Annville-Cleono salary, and how we can end teacher strikes…
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Will tax-relief promise ring hollow again?- PennLive.com
Brett Lieberman in the Patriot News on the Act 1 Tax Shift: “Until you address the spending side, you will never address real relief,” said Matthew J. Brouillette,…
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Read More: Will tax-relief promise ring hollow again?- PennLive.com
Everything you need to know about Act 1
Tony Phyrillas says: “If you don’t spend much time at the Commonwealth Foundation’s Web site, shame on you”. This in reference to our Policy Point on Act 1.
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Read More: Everything you need to know about Act 1
Legislative sponges soak up tax dollars
Tony Phyrillas on the top uses of “Public Services Announcements” – i.e. taxpayer-funded advertising – in the Pennsylvania House.
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Scranton’s attack signals budget battle
Post-Gazette piece on Former Lt. Governor (and Commonwealth Foundation board member) Bill Scranton’s testimony on the budget. Look for the full testimony on our website tomorrow.
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Term Limits Fails in Committee
The Senate State Government Committee rejected, by a 2 to 9 vote, reporting John Eichelberger’s constitutional amendment on legislative term limits, to the full Senate (Sen. Eichelberger discussed his…
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Read More: Term Limits Fails in Committee
Where the Jobs Went
The Skeptical Optimist offers a “Bar Chart of Where the Jobs Went” – i.e. changes in the number of jobs by category over the last year. That is followed…
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Healthy state pension fund brings pressure for benefit increases
Mark Scolforo in the Morning Call on proposed reforms (and benefit increases) to the state pension system.
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Act 1 Tax Shift Coverage
Tribune-Review: Voters to decide Act 1 tax trade off. Allentown Morning Call: Act 1 is an awful law, it will divide communities Post-Gazette: Voters Guide 2007: School…
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Read More: Act 1 Tax Shift Coverage
Pittsburgh: America’s Most “Leavable” City
Bill Steigerwald in Reason Magazine: Pittsburgh is in a death spiral. It’s bankrupt. Its school district spends $16,000 a year per kid. Its parking tax is the highest…
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