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.”
Tax-shift votes likely to divide communities
Patriot News on the potential winners and losers tax-shift referendum vote on May 15. Read our Taxpayers’ Guide to the Rendell Property Tax Relief Act of 2006 for…
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A call to rein in state spending
Tribune-Review article on Thursday’s hearing on state spending limits. The Commonwealth Foundation’s newest fellow (and former Congresswoman) Melissa Hart testified: “Often elected officials have been unwilling or simply unable…
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Now you can start working for yourself
CBS 21 on Tax Freedom Day for Pennsylvania.
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Happy Tax Freedom Day, Pennsylvania!
April 27, 2007 won’t appear as a holiday on anyone’s calendar. Few workers will get the day off. But it will be the first day Pennsylvania’s workers stop working to…
Commentary
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Video from Health Care Reform Luncheon
Video from yesterday’s Policies and Principles Luncheon on health care reform, featuring Michael Cannon of the Cato Institute is now available online. You can also get more audio and…
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Energy Myths
Max Schulz offers a series of energy “myths” that are driving flawed public policy – appropriate given a press conference later today will discuss Gov. Rendell’s energy plan. MYTH…
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Is “Fair Share Tax” dead?
Times Tribune article suggests there is no support in the General Assembly for a payroll tax on businesses to pay for “Cover All Pennsylvanians”. The administration suggested (as they…
Media
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‘Prescription for Pa.’ blasted for overregulation
Lancaster New Era with coverage of Michael Cannon’s take on RendellCare. Video of Cannon’s presentation today at the Commonwealth Foundation will be available on our website soon…
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Toast to progress
Post-Gazette editorial on the need to privatize state-run liquor stores.
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Most school districts to limit tax increases
Martha Raffaele on the tax increases for school districts, noting most will be “limiting” increases within the index. The index allows districts to increase taxes by 3.4 to 5.5…
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Some People Probably Shouldn’t Have Health Insurance
Michael Cannon blogs on why health care, not health insurance, is a priority at Cato-at-liberty. Cannon will be taking on the rhetoric of health care reform and offerign free-market…
Media
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Rebutal to Keystone Rebutal
The union-backed Keystone Research Center issued a reply to my income vs wage commentary on their blog. I will add a couple more thoughts: Jobs:The job growth…
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Anti-oil Demagoguery
In a news release, Governor Rendell Calls on Bush Administration to Investigate Exorbitant Gas Prices. Governor Rendell is simply using demagoguery about the “profiteering oil companies” to justify his…
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Turnpike Xenophobia?
From Capitolwire (subscription): Will opponents dub turnpike-leasing plan “Dubai, Chapter II?” Some political analysts believe they have found the silver bullet to kill off Gov. Ed Rendell’s proposed turnpike-leasing…
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State budget battle looms
Brad Bumsted in the Tribune-Review on the upcoming budget battle. Bumsted also touches on yesterday’s hearing on privatizing the state liquor stores (see related post here): On…
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Privatize liquor sales
Patriot News coverage of yesterday’s hearing on privatizion of the state stores. Read our News Release on the hearing and get the full testimony of Reason Foundation experts…
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Eliminate the turnpike commission
Sen. Jane Orie in the Post-Gazette on the waste in the Turnpike Commission and why it would be more efficient to run the turnpike – or oversee a lease…
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Ethanol Vehicles A Health Hazard
Summary of a research report by Mark Jacoboson: “We found that E85 vehicles reduce atmospheric levels of two carcinogens, benzene and butadiene, but increase two others – formaldehyde…
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Health Care Reform Debate
New Republic (registration) has a back and forth between Johnathan Cohn, who argues the US needs a single-payer system in the model of France and Germany, and David Gratzer…
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A Tax on Height?
Greg Mankiw and Matthew Weinzierl propose a tax on height (get the full study here). It has more advanced statistics and a longer literature review than most satire.
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More tax money to ethanol
Central Penn Business Journal on the announcement of $31 million in taxpayer-financed state grants for “clean energy projects,” primarily going to ethanol and biodiesel companies. Appearing yesterday on the…
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