Nathan Benefield

Nathan Benefield

Senior Vice President

Nathan (Nate) Benefield is the Senior Vice President 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 senior vice president, 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.”

School Tax Referendums

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 14, 2007

The Philadelphia Inquirer is the first PA newspaper that I have seen to endorse a “Yes” vote on the Act 1 tax shift (I have seen several endorsing a…

Media

Read More: School Tax Referendums

More Turnpike Lease Distortions

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 11, 2007

The Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association (PMTA) issued a news release claiming that voters overwhelming disapprove a Turnpike lease and citing exorbitant toll increases in Indiana. While elected officials should…

Media

Read More: More Turnpike Lease Distortions

GrowPA: Agitate for Change

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 11, 2007

GrowPA.com, an interactive website promoting pro-growth policies, limited government, and government reform (chaired by fromer Lt. Governor and Commonwealth Foundation Board Member Bill Scranton) has launched today – featuring…

Media

Read More: GrowPA: Agitate for Change

State Money Spent To Lobby State Officials

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 11, 2007

Ben Simmoneau for WGAL on the use of state money to lobby for more state money – specifically highlighting PHEAA and the Turnpike Commission, but taxpayer-funded lobbying included state…

Media

Read More: State Money Spent To Lobby State Officials

P3s could build Mon-Fayette Expressway

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 11, 2007

Private firms are being asked to enter bids to develop and run the Mon-Fayette Expressway: see Tribune-Review and Post-Gazette coverage. Using Public-Private Partnerships for new construction is one…

Media

Read More: P3s could build Mon-Fayette Expressway

Who are the judges?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 10, 2007

For those of you who are neither lawyers or criminals and are looking for more info about the judicial candidates before next Tuesday’s primary, here are various surveys/voter guides.

Media

Read More: Who are the judges?

Cost and Size of General Assembly debated

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 10, 2007

Brad Bumsted on the Speaker’s Reform Commission hearing on reducing the size of the legislature. While an NCSL analyst testified to the fact that Pennsylvania has the 2nd…

Media

Read More: Cost and Size of General Assembly debated

Ethanol Gold Rush Carries Costs

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 10, 2007

The rush to mandate and subsidize ethanol may turn out to be fools gold, from NCPA: Last year, about 4.9 billion gallons of ethanol were produced. Within…

Media

Read More: Ethanol Gold Rush Carries Costs

Education vouchers: Free to choose, and learn

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 10, 2007

Economist.com article on the benefits of school choice, both for students receiving vouchers and for those remaining in public schools. This augments the Friedman Foundation report showing…

Media

Read More: Education vouchers: Free to choose, and learn

Expanding School Choice in PA

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 10, 2007

Rep. Civera proposes increasing the cap on Educational Improvement Tax Credits to $109 million. This announcment nearly coincides with a report finding that the EITC saved taxpayers nearly…

Media

Read More: Expanding School Choice in PA

Budget Bill Introduced

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 9, 2007

The bill for the General Fund budget, House Bill 1286, was introduced without fanfare yesterday. There is no spreadsheet summary yet, but I was told it is not different…

Media

Read More: Budget Bill Introduced

Strike possible as talks break off

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 9, 2007

Patriot-News on a looming teacher strike in the Annville-Cleona district. Visit Stop Teachers Strikes, Inc for salary info on Annville-Cleono salary, and how we can end teacher strikes…

Media

Read More: Strike possible as talks break off

Everything you need to know about Act 1

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 8, 2007

Tony Phyrillas says: “If you don’t spend much time at the Commonwealth Foundation’s Web site, shame on you”. This in reference to our Policy Point on Act 1.

Media

Read More: Everything you need to know about Act 1

Legislative sponges soak up tax dollars

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 8, 2007

Tony Phyrillas on the top uses of “Public Services Announcements” – i.e. taxpayer-funded advertising – in the Pennsylvania House.

Media

Read More: Legislative sponges soak up tax dollars

Scranton’s attack signals budget battle

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 8, 2007

Post-Gazette piece on Former Lt. Governor (and Commonwealth Foundation board member) Bill Scranton’s testimony on the budget. Look for the full testimony on our website tomorrow.

Media

Read More: Scranton’s attack signals budget battle

Term Limits Fails in Committee

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 8, 2007

The Senate State Government Committee rejected, by a 2 to 9 vote, reporting John Eichelberger’s constitutional amendment on legislative term limits, to the full Senate (Sen. Eichelberger discussed his…

Media

Read More: Term Limits Fails in Committee

Where the Jobs Went

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 7, 2007

The Skeptical Optimist offers a “Bar Chart of Where the Jobs Went” – i.e. changes in the number of jobs by category over the last year. That is followed…

Media

Read More: Where the Jobs Went

Act 1 Tax Shift Coverage

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 7, 2007

Tribune-Review: Voters to decide Act 1 tax trade off. Allentown Morning Call: Act 1 is an awful law, it will divide communities Post-Gazette: Voters Guide 2007: School…

Media

Read More: Act 1 Tax Shift Coverage

Pittsburgh: America’s Most “Leavable” City

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 4, 2007

Bill Steigerwald in Reason Magazine: Pittsburgh is in a death spiral. It’s bankrupt. Its school district spends $16,000 a year per kid. Its parking tax is the highest…

Media

Read More: Pittsburgh: America’s Most “Leavable” City