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.”
Taxes & Economy
Odd Headline of the Day
CNN reports, “Stocks rally to 4-month highs after economists report recession ended in June 2009.” Three comments: Are you surprised to learn the recession ended 15 months…
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Read More: Odd Headline of the DayRegulation
Marcellus Money Yields $88 Million Gift to Penn State
The Post-Gazette reports that Terry Pegula, who recently sold his company that was drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale, donated $88 million to Penn State University to…
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Read More: Marcellus Money Yields $88 Million Gift to Penn StateTaxes & Economy
Survey of Marcellus Shale Residents
The Penn State Cooperative Extension has outlined findings from a survey of residents in the Marcellus Shale region (including New York, which still has a moratorium on drilling). The…
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Read More: Survey of Marcellus Shale ResidentsTaxes & Economy
Which States are Stealing Pennsylvania Residents?
The Tax Foundation has launched a new, awesome interactive tool that looks at IRS data, tracking moves into and out of each state. The bottom line for Pennsylvania is…
Media
Read More: Which States are Stealing Pennsylvania Residents?Government Accountability
Pennsylvania Has Been Collecting Info on Citizens for Years
There has been a hullabaloo over the discovery that the Pennsylvania Office of Homeland Security (under the Emergency Management Agency), has been paying a private company to put together details about protests…
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Read More: Pennsylvania Has Been Collecting Info on Citizens for YearsEducation
2010 SAT Scores by State
EDITORS NOTE: Click here for the 2014 SAT Scores by state The College Board has released the results of the 2010 SAT. We prepared a chart of SAT performance…
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Read More: 2010 SAT Scores by StateState Budget
The Specter Library is a Less Big Waste of Taxpayer Funds than Originally Indicated
John Micek points out that Arlen Specter is demanding that Tom Corbett, who criticized the Arlen Specter Library Project, get his facts straight. Specter claims the taxpayer-funded monument to…
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Read More: The Specter Library is a Less Big Waste of Taxpayer Funds than Originally IndicatedTaxes & Economy
PA House Democrats Unveil Transportation Tax Plan
Today, the Pennsylvania House Democrats put forth their proposal to raise taxes for transportation projects, as reported by PA Independent, which also provides a detailed outline of the…
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Read More: PA House Democrats Unveil Transportation Tax PlanState Budget
Rendell Starts State Bailout of Cities
Yesterday, Gov. Rendell announced a $4.3 million bailout for the city of Harrisburg. The city, following decades of wasteful spending on things like a Wild West Museum and owning…
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Read More: Rendell Starts State Bailout of CitiesRegulation
Pa. Lawmakers Must Solve Pension Crisis Now
Here is a great video editorial on the need for Pennsylvania lawmakers to address the pension crisis now, from WGAL president Paul Quinn. …
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Read More: Pa. Lawmakers Must Solve Pension Crisis NowTaxes & Economy
“Free” Federal Grants Result in Higher State Taxes
Over the last several decades, and increasingly in recent years, state and local government leaders have lobbied for, and received, additional funding from the federal government. Though this money…
Media
Read More: “Free” Federal Grants Result in Higher State TaxesRegulation
Failing to Understand Liquor Store Revenues
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell unveiled his state store privatization plan yesterday. This is obviously an issue to watch for in Pennsylvania, where liquor store privatization is also a…
Media
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West Virginia = Almost Heaven?
The “never-met-a-tax-I-didn’t-like” Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center claims that West Virginia has a booming natural gas drilling industry, despite a natural gas severance tax. This “fact” is extremely misleading.
Media
Read More: West Virginia = Almost Heaven?Taxes & Economy
What Rendell Wants from a Natural Gas Tax
An AP story highlighting Gov. Rendell’s push for a natural gas tax comes with the misleading headline “Pa. gov wants gas industry to help shale towns.” Nothing of the…
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Read More: What Rendell Wants from a Natural Gas TaxTaxes & Economy
Stimulus 5.0
President Obama has proposed yet another round of stimulus spending. Of course, he won’t call it a “stimulus,” because of how unpopular that has become. Others are, erroneously,…
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Read More: Stimulus 5.0Education
New Report Card on American Education
ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council, today released their latest Report Card on American Education. The annual report looks at both student performance and inputs into the education system, evaluating…
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Read More: New Report Card on American EducationTaxes & Economy
Dan Onorato’s Natural Gas Tax
Gubernatorial Candidate Dan Onorato held a press conference yesterday announcing he supports a tax on natural gas extraction in Pennsylvania (and that he kinda-sorta opposes other tax…
Media
Read More: Dan Onorato’s Natural Gas TaxTaxes & Economy
PA Unemployment Fraud Adding to Already-Bankrupt System
As PA Independent reports today, Pennsylvania had $374 million in overpayments for Unemployment Compensation (UC) last year, including $227 million in fraudulent claims, according to the US Department of…
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Read More: PA Unemployment Fraud Adding to Already-Bankrupt SystemTaxes & Economy
Should Higher Taxes be a “Priority”?
Here is a letter I sent the Patriot News on a natural gas jobs tax: Your August 31 editorial states that a natural gas tax should be the…
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Read More: Should Higher Taxes be a “Priority”?Taxes & Economy
The Imagined Effect of the Stimulus
Louis Woodhill writes on Real Clear Markets how the CBO’s estimated impact of the stimulus is a fantasy. In fact, the CBO readily admits it is simply plugging…
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Read More: The Imagined Effect of the StimulusRegulation
Understanding PSERS’ Gains
Pennsylvania’s pension fund for school employees, PSERS, reported significant gains in the past year — a 14% return on investment. This is higher than the national average, and nearly…
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