Nathan Benefield

Nathan Benefield

Chief Policy Officer

Nathan (Nate) Benefield is the Chief Policy Officer at the Commonwealth Foundation.

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.”

Education

Mapping Graduation Rates

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 9, 2008

Education Week has an interactive tool to map the graduation rates of states and school districts (based on the recent analysis by America’s Promise Alliance). Here is the…

Media

Read More: Mapping Graduation Rates

Health Care

When is a college basketball game “over”?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 9, 2008

If you like sports and you like math then Bill James’s calculator to determine when a college basketball game is out of reach should be interesting (if not, then…

Media

Read More: When is a college basketball game “over”?

Taxes & Economy

Eminent Domain post-Kelo

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 9, 2008

The Cato Daily Podcast for today covers state eminent domain reform reforms since Kelo. For more visit the Castle Coalition, and their report on state eminent domain…

Media

Read More: Eminent Domain post-Kelo

Taxes & Economy

Congressional Ratings from National Taxpayers Union

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 8, 2008

The National Taxpayers Union has released their 2007 Congressional Rankings. As for the PA Delegation: Pitts A 87% (“Taxpayers’ Friend”)Shuster B 74% (“Good”)Peterson C+ 62% (“Satisfactory”)…

Media

Read More: Congressional Ratings from National Taxpayers Union

Taxes & Economy

“No Cardboard Checks”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 8, 2008

One of my favorite sources for the inside scoop from the Capitol is Senator Eichelberger’s blog. In his latest post, he describes his refusal to participate in handing out…

Media

Read More: “No Cardboard Checks”

Education

The Real Cost of Public Schools

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 7, 2008

Andrew Coulson has an article in the Washington Post and a more detailed version on the Cato-at-liberty blog contrasting public school spending ($24,000 per pupil) and private school…

Media

Read More: The Real Cost of Public Schools

Taxes & Economy

Big Oil vs. Big Ethanol

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 7, 2008

Everyone in Pennsylvania (save the Amish, who are also unlikely to be reading this blog) must have heard or seen the Barack Obama, anti-“Big Oil” ad dozens of…

Media

Read More: Big Oil vs. Big Ethanol

State Budget

The Merits of Pork Barrel spending

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 7, 2008

Tom Barnes of the Post-Gazette has a story on the state capital budget, covering some of the projects in the Pittsburgh area. The Rendell administration tries to take…

Media

Read More: The Merits of Pork Barrel spending

Health Care

Why McCain has the best health-care plan

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 4, 2008

Fortune Magazine article on the health care proposals of the presidential candidates, along with the overarching question of whether we should move to government-run insurance or offer consumers greater…

Media

Read More: Why McCain has the best health-care plan

Government Accountability

Brouillette to moderate forum on P3s in transportation

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 4, 2008

Matthew J. Brouillette, president of the Commonwealth Foundation will moderate a forum on public-private partnerships and the potential role they can play in helping Pennsylvania meet its transportation…

Media

Read More: Brouillette to moderate forum on P3s in transportation

Taxes & Economy

Electricity deregulation a success in Texas

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 4, 2008

Dallas Morning News story on a report showing how competition flourished and prices declined once Texas Electrity Deregulation took effect in January of last year. The full report…

Media

Read More: Electricity deregulation a success in Texas

Government Accountability

Join us on Facebook

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 4, 2008

The Commonwealth Foundation has a New Page on Facebook. If you are a Facebook user (or want to sign up to see what all the kids are…

Media

Read More: Join us on Facebook

Government Accountability

Why the capital budget process needs to be reformed

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 4, 2008

Here is a response I posted on GrassrootsPA to the defenders of the $13 billion in capital budget projects who state essentially “It isn’t that bad, because not all…

Media

Read More: Why the capital budget process needs to be reformed

Taxes & Economy

Hoover’s Heirs

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 3, 2008

Wall Street Journal editorial on what not to do facing a possible recession, i.e. follow the lead of Herbert Hoover: In 1930, he signed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act,…

Media

Read More: Hoover’s Heirs

State Budget

$13 Billion capital budget flies under radar

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 3, 2008

The $12.7 billion in borrowing for the state Capital Budget has become a hot topic on GrassrootsPA. Otherwise, it has merited a blurb in the Patriot News, and…

Media

Read More: $13 Billion capital budget flies under radar

Taxes & Economy

Is the GOP Still the Party of Economic Growth?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 3, 2008

John Tamny has a scathing RealClearMarkets column on the national economic policy of the last 7 years, implying that, had you been stuck on an island with Jack, Sawyer,…

Media

Read More: Is the GOP Still the Party of Economic Growth?

Government Accountability

Philadelphia Parking Authority to face scrutiny

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 3, 2008

One the most wasteful, patronage-ridden, and shady government entities – the Philadelphia Parking Authority – will face investigation into its practices, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Like many other agencies…

Media

Read More: Philadelphia Parking Authority to face scrutiny

State Budget

CAGW releases Congressional Pig Book

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 2, 2008

Citizens Against Government Waste released their annual Congressional Pig Book, highlighting $17.2 billion in pork projects (11,610 projects). Pennsylvania ranks 31st in pork per capita (though sixth in…

Media

Read More: CAGW releases Congressional Pig Book

Taxes & Economy

The Clean Energy Scam

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 2, 2008

Time Magazine blasts the ethanol craze that has politicians (including Governor Rendell) demanding more subsidies and mandates for biofuels than they already get (HT: Carpe Diem):…

Media

Read More: The Clean Energy Scam

Education

Report: Philly graduation rate 33% lower than suburbs

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 1, 2008

A new report on graduation rates in the largest US cities has troubling news for Philadelphia (and most urban districts). The Philadelphia City School District ranks 34th among the…

Media

Read More: Report: Philly graduation rate 33% lower than suburbs