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.”
Public Union Democracy
McGovern on Card Check
Former Senator and Presidential nominee George McGovern – and though I hate the cheap labels used by the media, they would probably call him an “ultra-liberal” – writes in…
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Specter on Curing Cancer
The Wall Street Journal takes Sen. Arlen Specter to task for claiming Jack Kemp would still be alive if only taxpayers spent more on cancer research. Not only for…
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Read More: Specter on Curing CancerGovernment Accountability
Shining Some Light on Pennsylvania Spending
Kevin Ferris has a good piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer on proposals to create online databases of state spending in Pennsylvania, as well as the success of other states…
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Read More: Shining Some Light on Pennsylvania SpendingEducation
Saving School Choice (and Savings of School Choice)
Great new video from ReasonTV on the DC Voucher program, and the threats to eliminate it, despite a US Department of Education report that it helps improves student learning…
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Read More: Saving School Choice (and Savings of School Choice)Regulation
Allegheny Power Looks to Keep Prices Down
Pittsburgh Tribune Review has a story on Allegheny Power buying additional electric power cheaply on the wholesale market, while…
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Read More: Allegheny Power Looks to Keep Prices DownTaxes & Economy
PA Senate Budget by the Numbers
Jake Corman, PA Senate Appropriations Chairman, has introduced the Senate Republicans version of the state budget (SB 850). The $27.3 billion General Fund budget represents a $1.7 billion reduction…
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Read More: PA Senate Budget by the NumbersRegulation
Stimulus Money to Help Deal with Pension Crisis?
A number of Pennsylvania House Republicans are proposing using a portion of the federal stimulus money to pay into PSERS, the retirement fund for school employees. The $435 million…
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Read More: Stimulus Money to Help Deal with Pension Crisis?Taxes & Economy
Obama’s New Business Tax Scheme
President Obama is set to unveil a plan to crack down on cabinet members corporations that, in his view, are avoiding paying their share in taxes. Basically the plan…
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Read More: Obama’s New Business Tax SchemeEducation
Weighted Student Funding Formula
Reason Foundation has a new yearbook and resources on weighted student funding. Weighted student funding is a way for school districts, and states, to fund students instead of school…
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Read More: Weighted Student Funding FormulaState Budget
Pennsylvania Budget Deficit Grows by Nearly $1 Billion
Both the Pennsylvania House Democrats and Republicans are reporting an April General Fund revenue shortfall of $941.5 million. I am still waiting for the report from the Department of…
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Read More: Pennsylvania Budget Deficit Grows by Nearly $1 BillionTaxes & Economy
Over $4 Million in PA Unemployment Fraud
WGAL has a story on reports from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry of over $4 million in fraud in unemployment compensation benefits. You can assume there is…
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Read More: Over $4 Million in PA Unemployment FraudState Budget
PA House Dems to Introduce Budget
Dwight Evans, chair of the Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee, is scheduled to introduce the 2009-10 budget legislation “using the Rendell budget proposal as the basis.” They are also estimating…
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Read More: PA House Dems to Introduce BudgetGovernment Accountability
New Video Contest Entries
There is one month remaining to submit videos in our Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest with $4,000 in prizes available. Upload videos to our YouTube Group here.
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Some Perspectives on Obama’s 100 Days
Reason Magazine sums up the “change” of the Obama administration: On the economy, and specifically on the economic crisis, Obama came to office promising a…
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Read More: Some Perspectives on Obama’s 100 DaysPublic Union Democracy
Right-to-Work Works
Mark J. Perry queries, using the ALEC report Rich States, Poor States: “What feature do 15 out of the top 16 states for economic outlook have in…
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Read More: Right-to-Work WorksTaxes & Economy
Rendell’s Pants are on Fire
Governor Rendell, in comments made today about Sen. Specter, claimed that Specter is “being criticized by his party for voting for the stimulus … which is something every conservative economist…
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Read More: Rendell’s Pants are on FireGovernment Accountability
Is Pennsylvania’s Medical Malpractice Crisis Over?
Governor Rendell has declared that Pennsylvania no longer has a “crisis” in medical malpractice lawsuits, citing recent declines in the number of suits filed. Critics claimed that reform have…
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Read More: Is Pennsylvania’s Medical Malpractice Crisis Over?
Debating Drug Decriminalization
A recent Cato Study and a related article in Time look at the effect of drug decriminalization in Portugal, finding that, Those data…
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Read More: Debating Drug DecriminalizationEducation
Rethinking Financial Aid for Higher Ed
Andrew Gillen of the Center for College Affordability and Productivity has an interesting analysis of the effects of federal and state financial aid programs for colleges and universities. Namely,…
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Read More: Rethinking Financial Aid for Higher EdState Budget
More on Murtha Airport
Congressman John Murtha’s monument to himself – John Murtha airport – has gotten a lot of coverage lately. First, here is the CNN Clip, in which the airport…
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Read More: More on Murtha AirportTaxes & Economy
PA is 29th Best State for Small Business
The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council has a new ranking of the best state tax systems for small business. Pennsylvania ranks 29th (1 being the best). Click here…
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