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.”
Regulation
The War goes on with no end in sight
The war on Wal-Mart, that is. Now Wal-Mart is under orders from Massachusetts to sell “morning-after” pills. It seems that in not stocking the notorious morning-after pill, Wal-Mart was…
Media
Read More: The War goes on with no end in sightPublic Union Democracy
“Don’t be talkin’ bad about me” protest
Teachers’ union rally to protest “20/20” piece (John Stossel’s “Stupid in America,” which details how unions have stood in way of school reform) will occur on March 8.
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Read More: “Don’t be talkin’ bad about me” protestTaxes & Economy
Rendell the Benevolent Job Creator
You may have heard Governor Rendell’s 2006-07 Budget Address, in which he once again touted his role in “creating jobs”. By using selected statistics, crediting any job growth in…
Media
Read More: Rendell the Benevolent Job CreatorGovernment Accountability
How a Bill Becomes a Law … PA style
In an effort to settle a dispute between some shareholders of Philly-based Sovereign Bank, as reported by the Patriot News, some “ghost voting” ocurred in the Senate. The bill,…
Media
Read More: How a Bill Becomes a Law … PA styleTaxes & Economy
Absurd logic used to support minimum wage
Yet another example of the limitless rhetoric used to support a minimum wage increase. This time, Rep. Josephs calls out other female legislators, demanding that they support a minimum…
Media
Read More: Absurd logic used to support minimum wageTaxes & Economy
Spend more now, raises taxes later
The Cato Institute’s Chris Edwards reports that many states (like maybe Pennsylvania) are following the same mistakes of the late 90s in Busting the State Tax-Revenue Boom. When state…
Media
Read More: Spend more now, raises taxes later
Mid-Term Grades
Liberty Index coverage in the Post-Gazette suggests some lawmakers may need to stay “after class”.
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Read More: Mid-Term Grades
How to reduce property taxes
An Americans for Tax Reform study on property tax reform in New Jersey and Massachusetts. While New Jersey attempted to reduce property taxes by creating an income tax with…
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Read More: How to reduce property taxesTaxes & Economy
Taxing telecommuters
New study from the The Tax Foundation on how New York, Pennsylvania, and two oather states attempt to penalize telecommuters who choose not to live there. However, rather than…
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Read More: Taxing telecommutersTaxes & Economy
The Politics of Ever-Expanding Government
A quality essay by Steven Malanga on how the recipients of increased government spending support increased government spending. Taxpayers are footing the bill for lobbying by by governments and…
Media
Read More: The Politics of Ever-Expanding GovernmentEducation
A government big enough to give you everything you want …
There is a theory (articulate in a piece by Mark Bauerlein) that left-wing academics are engrossed in large scale group think, that when large numbers of the radical left…
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Read More: A government big enough to give you everything you want …Public Union Democracy
Why Maryland is fighting windmills.
A George Will piece (Getting mugged in Maryland), explaining why the Maryland legislature has decided to attack the paper tiger of Wal-Mart. Will cites Wal-Mart’s ample benefits and pay,…
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Read More: Why Maryland is fighting windmills.Regulation
Public Pensions Running Wild
A National Center for Policy Analysis summary of facts about state and local government pensions. The bottom line is that states continue to enhance benefits far beyond private sector…
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Read More: Public Pensions Running WildEducation
PSBA: “Limit School Spending for Cyber Schools”
The Pennsylvania School Board Association has finally come to agree that school spending should be limited to what it actually costs to educate a child: Patriot News – Districts…
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Read More: PSBA: “Limit School Spending for Cyber Schools”
Utah Man Wanted by Truth Police
An article appearing on ESPN.com – Why isn’t Jazz owner under fire? – argues that Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller should be penalized (fined, suspended or just chastised) for…
Media
Read More: Utah Man Wanted by Truth PoliceHealth Care
Maryland Senate seeks control over Wal-Mart
The Maryland Senate voted to override the governor’s veto of the “Wal-Mart Bill” (Financial News – Yahoo! Finance), so called because it applies only to one company in the…
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Read More: Maryland Senate seeks control over Wal-MartEducation
States Throwing Money at Higher Education
An analysis of state spending on higher education from The Chronicle of Higher Education shows that overall spending increases substantially outpaced inflation. While the article’s perspective (and the perspective…
Media
Read More: States Throwing Money at Higher EducationEducation
Are American Kids Stupid?
I love John Stossel reports – this Friday (on 20/20) he asks, “Are American Kids Stupid?” The answer, of course, is no, but our monopolistic public school system is.
Media
Read More: Are American Kids Stupid?Education
Rocky Mountain High
Denver enacts the nation’s first merit pay system for teachers in a large district. See this National Center for Policy Analysis summary of Denver’s new system and other pay…
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Read More: Rocky Mountain HighGovernment Accountability
Churches funding Pittsburgh
Several charities, including churches and religious groups, voluntary donated $4.6 million to the city of Pittsburgh, according to the Tribune-Review. Apparently the “separation of church and state” applies only…
Media
Read More: Churches funding PittsburghRegulation
More Corporate Welfare
Here is a good piece by the Allegheny Institute on the $50 million dollars of corporate welfare granted by state and local government to PNC for construction of…
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Read More: More Corporate Welfare