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.”
How Much Are Public School Teachers Paid?
A report from the Manhattan Institute examines teacher pay across the nation, taking on the common claim that teachers are underpaid. Generally, author Jay Greene finds that teachers earn…
Media
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Patriot News on Taxpayer Protection Act
The Patriot News has a short story on the Taxpayer Protection Act in their Inside the Capitol segment, unfortunately leading with “A proposed cap on state spending didn’t…
Media
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Bush’s Health Plan
NCPA policy briefs on the Bush Health Plan and answering the Critics of the Bush Plan.
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Proposal would cap state spending
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review article on the proposed Taxpayer Protection Act. Note that the union-backed Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center is already advancing the myths of spending limits. Look for…
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Milton Friedman Special
In honor of Milton Friedman Day PBS station will be airing the special The Power of Choice on Friedman’s life and influence. Unfortunately the blasphemers at WITF Harrisburg…
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Ethanol Makes Gasoline Costlier, Dirtier
Analysis of the effect of ethanol subsidies and mandates from the Cato Institute.
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Push to privatize turnpike reflects shift in thinking
Post-Gazette article on a potential turnpike lease. Geoff Segal of the Reason Foundation and adjunct scholar with Commonwealth Foundation (incorrectly identified with Reason magazine) scoffs at the fear of…
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Very, Very Big Corn
Wall Street Journal article on the mistakes of more ethanol subsidies by federal and state government.
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Union Membership Declines Again
BLS Annual Report on Union Membership finds that union membership in PA and in the US declined again last year. Whatever will Bill George do?…
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Liquor board did high-end traveling
Philadelphia Inquirer story on the luxury of being a public servant.
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Dissecting Rendell’s ‘Eddycare’
Jim Panyard Editorial in The Evening Bulletin.
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Ethanol-based fuel skewed by subsidies
Former CF Intern Stephen Albert in today’s Patriot News.
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Governor Rendell’s Healthcare Misdiagnosis
As healthcare costs continue to rise faster than consumers’ ability to pay, it is clear that we need to alter how we pay for healthcare. Recently, Governor Rendell unveiled a…
Commentary
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Cost of Rendell Care
Following, yesterday’s defense of RendellCare (and attack on the Commonwealth Foundation) from the Democratic Party, I though it appropriate to examine the cost of RendellCare. As you know Rendell’s…
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Turnpike Commission may be nearing end of road
State Senator Jane Orie is calling for Pennsylvania to eliminate the Turpike Commission, whether or not the state engages in a lease of the turnpike, as it has been…
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Health and Taxes
Commentary on Bush’s health care proposal from the Wall Street Journal; from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review; and from the Heritage Foundation.
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Bush’s Split Personality
Last night’s State of the Union Address showed the two faces of President Bush. On the one hand, his health care proposal, which includes tax benefits for individual…
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Bush’s healthcare plan
Overview of President Bush’s healthcare proposals to be unveiled in the State of the Union address tonight.
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Illegal Health Care
Wall Street Journal article points out that employer health insurance mandates (which would include Governor Rendell’s proposal) are illegal under federal law. But we shouldn’t let something like the…
Media
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Cutting the Legislature
Brian O’Neill of the Post-Gazette attempts to make the case that Pennsylvania should reduce the number of state legislators. His reasoning – we should be like the other big…
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Talk of Universal Health Care Grows
Washington Post on Pennsylvania and other states’ plans for universal health insurance. Twice the article compares health insurance mandates to auto insurance: Some plans mandate that every individual…
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