Nicole Gabriel

Executive Assistant

Nicole Gabriel is the Executive Assistant at the Commonwealth Foundation, based in the Harrisburg office. She enjoys keeping the office running smoothly, solving problems with initiative, and helping build a workplace where everyone feels connected and included.

Previously, Nicole worked in administrative support at M&T Bank and taught primary school in Vietnam for several years. Her years living abroad taught her to think on her feet, embrace new challenges, and remain resourceful. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from San Diego State University.

Outside of work, Nicole enjoys volunteering in the community, traveling to new and adventurous places, and exploring different cuisines. A passionate traveler, she has visited 15 countries and loves learning about new cultures along the way.

House GOP pushes for lower state income tax

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 9, 2008

Tony Phyrillas on today’s hearing regarding rolling back the state PIT to it’s pre-2004 level of 2.80%. Read Matt’s testimony here, or sign up for email updates…

Media

Read More: House GOP pushes for lower state income tax

How you match up with Presidential candidates

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 9, 2008

Lancaster Online has posted on new tool to track how you match up, on issues, with presidential candidates. It seems to work out pretty accurately for me (a couple…

Media

Read More: How you match up with Presidential candidates

School choices promote accountability

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 9, 2008

Good Editorial on how if you want “accountability” in education, then you should support school choice. Of course the critics of school choice in its various forms always cite…

Media

Read More: School choices promote accountability

19th Century View of Government?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 9, 2008

Patriot News has a blurb about our re-selling calendars for property tax relief (third item). Rendell spokeman Chuck Ardo defends the calendars (more or less) by taking a…

Media

Read More: 19th Century View of Government?

Free Market Health Care FAQ

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 8, 2008

A new publication from the Galen Institute: Frequently asked questions on health policy and responses from our pro-market perspective Topics on this page Free-market healthcare…

Media

Read More: Free Market Health Care FAQ

Who else has Rendell promised money to?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 7, 2008

Pete DeCoursey of Capitolwire.com (subscription) has broken a story about Lionsgate Films lobbying the state. The story began by looking into violations of the state lobbying law when Lionsgate…

Media

Read More: Who else has Rendell promised money to?

Common Sense of Bonusgate

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 7, 2008

Paul Jacob of The Sam Adams Alliance weighs in on Pennsylvania’s “Bonusgate”. Listen to the audio version here. Topics on this page Common sense…

Media

Read More: Common Sense of Bonusgate

Of Calendars and Porn Taxes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 7, 2008

Policy Blog may only be #6 in this weeks PA Blog Influence Ranking, but we made some noise over the weekend. The Pittsburgh Tribune Review featured a story…

Media

Read More: Of Calendars and Porn Taxes

Hold the Pork

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 7, 2008

John Fund in the Wall Street Journal on the 9,000 earmarks, and the possibility Bush will refuse to acknowledge them. Since the earmarks were dropped into a conference report,…

Media

Read More: Hold the Pork

How states encourge higher uninsurance rates

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 5, 2008

Wall Street Journal article by Tarren Bragdon questions Why does New York spend more on Medicaid — a health-care program for the poor — than every other state…

Media

Read More: How states encourge higher uninsurance rates

Proposed PA tax on adult businesses

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 5, 2008

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review story on the latest new tax proposal, this one on “adult businesses” from Senator Jane Orie (so much for Senate Republicans opposing any new taxes). I was…

Media

Read More: Proposed PA tax on adult businesses

Leading Bioenergy Crops Bad for the Environment

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 4, 2008

An analysis in Science Magazine of a finds that the environmental impact of biofuels from corn, soy and other crops may be worse than fossil fuels. More from…

Media

Read More: Leading Bioenergy Crops Bad for the Environment

Cost of Calendars

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 4, 2008

The Chief Clerks offices for both the PA House and Senate have graciously provided the cost of printing those lovely Capitol Calendars. Here is the breakdown: House:Calendars Printed:…

Media

Read More: Cost of Calendars

Rich states grow faster by taxing less

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 3, 2008

Washington Examiner editorial on how rich states grow faster by taxing less Topics on this page Washington Examiner…

Media

Read More: Rich states grow faster by taxing less

I Am Lawsuit Abuse

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 2, 2008

New website highlights of the worst cases of lawsuit abuse, including the infamous case of a judge suing a dry cleaner for losing his pants – for $67 million.

Media

Read More: I Am Lawsuit Abuse

Lawmakers have priorities confused

  • January 2, 2008

This Letter to the Editor at The REPUBLICAN & Herald succinctly nails what’s wrong with Harrisburg. We need more such letters in newspapers across Pennsylvania. Actually, we need more…

Media

Read More: Lawmakers have priorities confused

Taxpayer Protection Limit equal to 3.29%

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 2, 2008

With the latest population estimate from the Census Bureau (which shows continued anemic growth in PA), we can now estimate what the spending limit under the proposed…

Media

Read More: Taxpayer Protection Limit equal to 3.29%

Politics and ideology stall health-care initiatives

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 2, 2008

I thought I’d comment on this Beaver County Times Editorial that decries “politics and ideology” for stopping health care initiatives like RendellCare. They are right, you know, ideology –…

Media

Read More: Politics and ideology stall health-care initiatives

Why the “Year of Reform” Wasn’t

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 31, 2007

Russ Diamond on “Why the “Year of Reform” Wasn’t”: Nothing else has been accomplished on the reform front, though. Newspaper editors, pundits, journalists and citizens are asking: Why?…

Media

Read More: Why the “Year of Reform” Wasn’t