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.”
Taxes & Economy
Why are people rich?
A study, summarized by NCPA, takes on the critics of free markets, with some common sense finding. While some on the left insist that “the rich are getting richer…
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Philly-to-Harrisburg on high-speed rail
From PennLive.com NewsFlash: Harrisburg to Philly on high speed trains? Cool.Trains at 110 miles per hour? Neat.Only an hour and a half from HAR to PHL? Ok.
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Read More: Philly-to-Harrisburg on high-speed railTaxes & Economy
Rendell Looks to Raise Taxes on Oil Companies in Pennsylvania
From The Tax Foundation.
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Read More: Rendell Looks to Raise Taxes on Oil Companies in PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
Property Tax Relief that Isn’t
The new property tax “relief” plan, Act 1, is already taking heat for not providing much relief – even for senior citizens, the group targetted for immediate relief – based…
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Read More: Property Tax Relief that Isn’tWelfare
PA lagging in Welfare to Work
Pennsylvania is among a handful of states that need to improve the number of welfare recipients working, the AP reports. Under new federal law, states are required to have…
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Read More: PA lagging in Welfare to WorkRegulation
Hair Braiding Drama
Patriot News article on the fear of unlicensed hair-braiders vs. the danger in regulatory professions (though they emphasize the former). Read Stephen Albert’s commentary on the burdens of…
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Read More: Hair Braiding DramaHealth Care
Will Mandatory Health Insurance Work?
NCPA Analysis of Health Insurance Mandates, such as the new Massachusetts law and proposals discussed at recent hearings in Pennsylvania. Bottom line: they won’t work, and they could drive…
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Read More: Will Mandatory Health Insurance Work?Government Accountability
The real meaning of ‘reform’
Brad Bumsted column in Sunday’s Pittsburgh Tribune Review on the need for legislative reform. He cites the recent Commonwealth Foundation study on reforms needed.
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Read More: The real meaning of ‘reform’Taxes & Economy
Incomes and Politics
Wall Street Journal article on income disparity and inconsistent political rhetoric.
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Read More: Incomes and PoliticsEducation
School choice leads to less segregation
Contrary to the rhetoric of many opponents of school choice, two new studies from the Milton & Rose Friedman Foundation shows that private schools participating in the voucher programs…
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Read More: School choice leads to less segregationTaxes & Economy
Household Income Analysis
Interesting note by the The Tax Foundation on recent household income data. While a recent Census Report indicates that real median household income (adjusted for inflation) has declined since…
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Read More: Household Income AnalysisEducation
The best education reform: More sleep.
Wall Street Journal editorial on why schools should start their days later. I’ve never considered this from a policy point of view, but I know that for 13 years,…
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Read More: The best education reform: More sleep.Education
SAT Scores and PA Schools
SAT Scores Nationally, scores dropped, primarily attributed to a change in the test format. Pennsylania continues to lag behind, ranking 47th in the nation in average combined SAT score.
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Read More: SAT Scores and PA SchoolsHealth Care
Tax Credits for Health Care
While Pennsylvania lawmakers discuss mandating universal health care coverage, a Census Bureau report indicates fewer people are receiving health insurance from their employers, and more are paying for…
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Read More: Tax Credits for Health CareTaxes & Economy
Soak the Poor
Analysis of how not “extending the Bush tax cuts” (i.e. raising taxes dramatically in 2011) would hurt low- and moderate-income familes from Investors Business Daily, summarize here by…
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Read More: Soak the PoorTaxes & Economy
Economic Benefit of Wal-Mart
Op-Ed by Robert Samuleson in today’s Washington Post on how Wal-Mart’s low-price policies benefit all Americans – doing a much better job controlling inflation than the Federal Reserve. “A…
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Read More: Economic Benefit of Wal-MartHealth Care
Reveal Health Care Costs
Health care pricing – the only good or service I can think of where you don’t learn the price until the bill comes – may be changing. USA Today…
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Read More: Reveal Health Care CostsPublic Union Democracy
Ending Teacher strikes
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review weighs in on how best to end teacher strikes in PA.
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Read More: Ending Teacher strikesRegulation
Fines for Sex without a License
Legislation proposed by State Rep. Keith McCall would require prospective massage therapists to take 600 hours of classroom training, have instruction in CPR and HIV, pass an exam, and…
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Read More: Fines for Sex without a LicenseRegulation
Pa. bureaucracy pursues a love of licensing
Read Commonwealth Foundation intern Stephen Albert’s commentary on the regulation of economic freedom in today’s York Dispatch.
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Read More: Pa. bureaucracy pursues a love of licensingRegulation
The 1% Solution
Read Commonwealth Foundation senior fellow Rick Dreyfuss’s latest commentary on senate health care cost sharing in today’s Patriot News.
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Read More: The 1% Solution