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.”
The Schip Revelation
Wall Street Journal on the absurdity of the debate on SCHIP Expansion: Schip was supposed to help children from low-income families … Schip was created as a…
Media
Read More: The Schip Revelation
Economics of Sports Stadiums
Brief assessment of the merits of taxpayer subsidies of stadiums, with some link,. from the The Tax Foundation Blog. In other words, the Pittsburgh Penguins arena deal won’t…
Media
Read More: Economics of Sports Stadiums
Clamor for more taxes and spending
Reading Eagle editorial repreats many of the Wrong Lessons of the Minnesota bridge collapse – namely that the problem is a lack of funding and taxes for transportation.
Media
Read More: Clamor for more taxes and spending
Another distortion of charter schools’ “Cost”
Jim McCaffrey’s article in the Evening Bulletin continues the assault that charter schools “cost too much”. Yet this is a distortion of the truth. School districts continue to complain…
Media
Read More: Another distortion of charter schools’ “Cost”
Let Wisconsin Experiment with Socialized Medicine
John Stossel supports Wisconsin’s $15 billion socialized medicine plan. He thinks by screwing up health care badly enough – apparently we didn’t learn that lesson the Soviet Union, not…
Media
Read More: Let Wisconsin Experiment with Socialized Medicine
Penn Pike rush hire of engineers to do toll conversion of I-80
Penn Pike rush hire of engineers to do toll conversion of I-80 – from Toll Roads News…
Media
Read More: Penn Pike rush hire of engineers to do toll conversion of I-80
Be careful what you put on your Facebook page
I have seen several media stories about Giuliani’s daughter’s Facebook page, in which she joined an “Obama for President Group,” but don’t know why. But I will use this…
Media
Read More: Be careful what you put on your Facebook page
Cyber schools cut districts’ expenses
Letter from a cyber school CEO and former school district superintendent to the Patriot News on how cyber schools save taxpayers money. Read more about how cyber schools save…
Media
Read More: Cyber schools cut districts’ expenses
The Wrong Lessons of the Bridge Collapse
Brad Edmonds with the Daily Commentary of the Mises Institute writes that privatizing bridges and roads, not more government control, will prevent tragedies like the Minnesota bridge collapse:…
Media
Read More: The Wrong Lessons of the Bridge Collapse
The Act 1 Farce
More bad news on Act 1 – the so-called “back-end referendum” provisions not only allows school districts to increase taxes by 3.4 to 5.5% without voter referendum, and allows…
Media
Read More: The Act 1 Farce
Renewed push on health care planned
The Patriot News reports that Governor Rendell will continue to push his health care tax. Meanwhile, other state legislatures are taking up free-market health care reform (often to fight…
Media
Read More: Renewed push on health care planned
Enough money for roads and bridges?
Brett Lieberman in the Patriot News examines PA’s infrastructure needs. But unlike most coverage, Lieberman deserves credit for looking at how money is being spent, before conceding we need…
Media
Read More: Enough money for roads and bridges?
The New Privatization
Steven Malanga in the summer City Journal offers a look the rising trend in privatization of toll roads – both existing and new construction – airports, and other infrastructure.
Media
Read More: The New Privatization
How to Keep Our Bridges Safe
Stephen Malanga in todays’s Wall Street Journal on how to address the need for new transportation infrastructure: It’s unlikely that public funds alone will supply what’s needed.
Media
Read More: How to Keep Our Bridges Safe
Warren Buffett to ride for free on PAT
This News Release from Rep. Matt Smith to reminds everyone that now senior citizens can ride for free at any time of day. This subsidy isn’t limited to low-income…
Media
Read More: Warren Buffett to ride for free on PAT
The Politics of Disaster
Geoff Segal on the Reason Blog on the Minnesota bridge collapse and fixing transportation infrastructure. Here is what he had to say about our own Governor: Even Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: The Politics of Disaster
Scarnati “Sets Record Straight”?
Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati defends tolling I-80, claiming he is “setting the record straight”. He leads off saying, “One issue that is not debatable in Pennsylvania is…
Media
Read More: Scarnati “Sets Record Straight”?
Why do lawmakers fear competitive bidding?
Chambersburg Public Opinion on the attitudes of some lawmakers towards a Turnpike lease, now that the idea may be revisited. It seems that many lawmakers need to visit…
Media
Read More: Why do lawmakers fear competitive bidding?
Why Expanding SCHIP is a bad idea
Resources on the proposed SCHIP expansion (which would increase federal subsidies for health care for the non-poor) from: Heritage FoundationTax FoundationWashington Policy CenterNational…
Media
Read More: Why Expanding SCHIP is a bad ideaEducation
The Public Schools Edifice Complex
How much money should a school receive for a student it no longer has to educate? And, is taxpayer money being wisely spent on classroom instruction or school construction? Those…
Commentary
Read More: The Public Schools Edifice Complex
Fly by night transportation plan
Remember about a month ago, when Rep. Geist received a letter from the US Department of Transporation stating that I-80 could not be tolled under the Interstate Reconstruction Program…
Media
Read More: Fly by night transportation plan