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.”
Government Accountability
Constitutional Convention in IL gets a boost
The Illinois Constitutional Convention ballot question, discussed in a previous post, got a couple of boosts in the last week. First came news that the Cook County Assessor…
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That’s our General Assembly
With a budget deficit and possible tax increase looming, federal denial of I-80 tolling opening up a gap in transportation funding (and the Turnpike Commission borrowing against future…
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Read More: That’s our General AssemblyTaxes & Economy
Free market groups opposing bailout
A coalition of 27 organizations, including the Commonwealth Foundation, have signed on to an open letter to US Senators put together by NTU in opposition to the $700…
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Read More: Free market groups opposing bailoutState Budget
PA Budget Deficit Growing
The latest Pennsylvania Revenue Department report indicates that collections were $160 million below estimates in September, and $280 million below for the fiscal year which began in July.
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Read More: PA Budget Deficit GrowingRegulation
Convention Center no economic savior
Post-Gazette looks at the failure of the $373 million Pittsburgh convention center to create an economic boom – or even to outdraw the old convention center (HT: Grassroots…
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Read More: Convention Center no economic saviorTaxes & Economy
Not facing a Great Depression
Here are a couple of good articles on the bailout (and the rhetoric in favor of it) by Cato scholars. Alan Reynolds writes that “saying we’re in for another…
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Read More: Not facing a Great DepressionHealth Care
Converting Medicaid into Premium Assistance
The Heritage Foundation has a new backgrounder (click here for PDF) on how states can convert Medicaid spending into premium assistance for insurance – a proposal which would…
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Read More: Converting Medicaid into Premium AssistanceHealth Care
Bailing Out Massachusetts
The Foundry Blog of the Heritage Foundation has discovered that the federal government will “bail out” Massachusetts troubled health care plan (e.g. RomneyCare) with a $4.2 billion increase…
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Read More: Bailing Out MassachusettsTaxes & Economy
Root causes of the financial “crisis”
I attended a conference late last week feature a number of economists, and was surprised to discover a great deal of disagreement about what caused the “crisis” in the financial…
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Read More: Root causes of the financial “crisis”Government Accountability
Perzel’s Parking Authority
Here is a funny video in which “Manatee” declares his desire to run the Philadelphia Parking Authority, so that he can work as little as possible, hire all his…
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Read More: Perzel’s Parking AuthorityTaxes & Economy
Bailout Fails
In case you missed it, the vote on the bailout failed. GrassrootsPA has the PA Delegation Bailout Vote. The Club for Growth blog has a lot more on…
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Read More: Bailout FailsTaxes & Economy
Property Taxes by State and by County
The Tax Foundation has a new analysis of property taxes by state and by county. The state data shows that Pennsylvania ranks 15th in median property taxes ($2,159),…
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Read More: Property Taxes by State and by CountyTaxes & Economy
Bailout Updates
Bill Text Side-by-Side Comparisons CNN Summary Sales Pitch Summary Boehner’s Sales Pitch Bush’s Sales Pitch WSJ Summary Rep. Mike Pence: “Republicans…
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Will rejectors regret inaction on turnpike?
Morning Call editorial blasts lawmakers for failing to even consider a lease deal: Once again, the small-idea, under-achieving Pennsylvania Legislature has let down the people they serve. The…
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Read More: Will rejectors regret inaction on turnpike?Taxes & Economy
The case Barlett hasn’t made
Bruce Bartlett attempts to justify the bailout (“The case Bush hasn’t made”) by explaining that the financial sector is different than other sectors, that a collapse in the financial…
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Read More: The case Barlett hasn’t madeTaxes & Economy
Free Market Alternatives to the Bailout
Pat Toomey of the Club for Growth hosted a conference a call to discuss the economics of the proposed bailout. Toomey commented that the financial market does not seem…
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Read More: Free Market Alternatives to the BailoutTaxes & Economy
Turnpike Lease Bid expiring – what now?
With the Turnpike lease bid expiring – and indications are there will be no extension of the $12.8 billion bid – both Governor Rendell and some lawmakers have…
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Read More: Turnpike Lease Bid expiring – what now?Government Accountability
Talking Free Markets with Karl Rove
I had the chance to hear Karl Rove speak at a conference hosted by Hillsdale College on “Economics and the 2008 Election.” Rove had some interesting things to say:…
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Read More: Talking Free Markets with Karl RoveHealth Care
PA Senate passes “slacker mandate”
The Pennsylvania Senate today passed by a 50-0 vote a “slacker mandate,” (SB 1453) requiring insurance companies to cover single, childless children of policy holders (at the policy holder’s…
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Read More: PA Senate passes “slacker mandate”Taxes & Economy
Offshore drilling ban to expire
Democrats to let offshore drilling ban expire; the American Future Fund has the details.This means that beginning October 1, companies can begin drilling in the areas highlighted…
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Read More: Offshore drilling ban to expireTaxes & Economy
Upwardly Mobile America?
Good article in The American Magazine on income growth and mobility in America. If you’re like me, you can skim the text and just read the charts.
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Read More: Upwardly Mobile America?