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.”
11th Most Influential Blog
PolicyBlog debuts as the Pennsylvania’s 11th most influential political blog on the Blognetnews.com rankings. Tony Phyrillas (#5) comments that we are moving up fast (though technically we are…
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Financial Impact of Public Charter Schools
Report from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools looks at the fiscal impact of charter schools and the myths propogated by school districts. Among their conclusions: Districts get…
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Reforming the Budget Process
The Commonwealth Foundation will be joining with other members of the reform coalition (today at 11 am) to discuss the budget process in the “era of reform,” and an alternative…
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Uninsured in America
Great video titled “Uninsured in America”, produced by Free Market Cure.
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‘Pre-K Counts’ Does Not Apply To Religious Schools
The Evening Bulletin on the effect of “Pre-K Counts” on private, religious preschools.
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Vouchers could desegregate schools better than buses
Some new data on yet another benefit of school choice – desegregation. Summary from NCPA…
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Pretend funding plan
Two days late and a dollar short, the Patriot News declares that “Turnpike borrowing and tolls for Interstate 80 come up short to finance statewide road needs.”…
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Two against 48
Dimitri Vassilaros column in Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on Senators Eichelberger and Folmer (the two in the 2 vs. 48) who voted against the budget. Vassilaros also discussesthe intricacies of state…
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Another Anti-Cyber Assault by School Boards
School boards continue to attack public cyber schools and call for limiting their spending (you never hear anyone calling for school districts to limit their spending) in the Pittsburgh…
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State flunks in financial disclosure
Brett Lieberman in the Patriot News on Pennsylvania’s failing grade for disclosure of public official’s financial interests The full report is here. The disclosure documents for the…
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Toll Roads News on the Transportation Deal
Penn Pike’s Joe Brimmeier trumps state Governor – comes out of fight with growing road portfolio, from Toll Roads News.
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The Best States For Business
This is about a week old, but Forbes’ lastest Best States For Business ranks PA near the bottom, coming in at 39 this year. I’m sure with the Film…
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Edifice Complex Charts and Resources
Below are charts, source data, and statistical results results (as promised) from our report Edifice Complex: Where Has All the Money Gone Charts used at News Conference (PDF)…
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Turnpike Wheeling and Dealing
Brad Bumsted’s assessment of the Turnpike Commission’s deal to expand their power and protect their fiefdom. The Turnpike Commission may have gotten enough House votes for their borrowing and…
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Milton Friedman Resolution Passes!
Without drawing much attention, given all the attention going to the state budget and the transportation funding plan, we scored a legislative victory of sorts. Late last night…
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Pittsburgh schools drop ‘public’ from name to boost image
Oddity on the education front – since “public” schools carry a negative connotation the Pittsburgh Public Schools will now be known simply as the Pittsburgh Schools. We think…
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Edifice Complex at Central Dauphin?
Yesterday we released a report titled The Edifice Complex, which looks at school district spending (as well as contrasting that with cyber schools), finding that school districts suffer from…
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Changing the rules
We’ve been called out on GrassrootsPA for “trying to re-write the rules at the end of the process. But I thinkeveryone can see the shell game…
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Eichelberger Speaks Out on Budget
Senator Eichelberger’s floor statement on why he could not support the budget. (Eichelberger was one of only two “no” votes in the Senate, joining Senator Folmer).
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Budget Line Items Revealed
The budget deal was reported from conference committee tonight (the deal had already been worked out behind the scenes, the conference committee just reported what was handed to them).
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Closed doors & capitulation
Brad Bumsted on why conservatives and reformers are upset about the budget deal: The deal occured behind closed doors. All the rank and file members were excluded, and what…
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