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.”

Rendell’s Pension Reform Plan?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 16, 2007

From the Patriot News report on the state employees contract deal came this tidbit: Rising pension costs also were discussed in negotiations, but Budget Secretary Michael Masch said those…

Media

Read More: Rendell’s Pension Reform Plan?

Tax Shifts Considered

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 16, 2007

Both the Camp Hill School District and Cumberland Valley School District are considering shifting from property taxes to an income tax (PIT for Camp Hill and EIT for…

Media

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Turnpike readies for battle over sale, lease

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 16, 2007

Patriot News story on how the Turnpike Commission is busy hiring lobbyists and PR representives to fight a potential turnpike lease – use of public money for lobbying and…

Media

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State worker contract agreement reached

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 15, 2007

From the Central Penn Business Journal:The contract will increase employee health-care contributions from 1 percent to 3 percent [of salary] in the next four years. It includes pay…

Media

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Lawmakers cash in on way out

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 15, 2007

Patriot News article on the thousands collected in “per-diems” by local retiring lawmakers; local being emphasized because (particularly in the case of former Senator Chip Brightbill, who collected $17,000…

Media

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State’s with Worst Roads

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 14, 2007

AOL.com article on states with the worst roads – Pennsylvania ranks 2nd worst among the 50 states, ahead only of hurricane-ravaged Louisiana. Just another reason why we should…

Media

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Earmark Entertainment

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 12, 2007

Wall Street Journal article on how US Senate Democrats are opposing the earmark reform passed by House Democrats.

Media

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Cost of a Legislator

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 11, 2007

Someone called our office for this information, and I wrote his email down wrong, so I am posting in here, in case he sees it, and because it is ineresting…

Media

Read More: Cost of a Legislator

More on the Minimum Wage

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 11, 2007

NCPA Analysis points out that a national minimum wage affects some regions more than others – particularly when comparing Red States to Blue States. Specifically, principle supporters Nancy Pelosi…

Media

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House Already Reforming Itself

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 10, 2007

The PA House Republicans spent much of the past week discussing how best to enact reform – and deciding their first step would be to create a new caucus…

Media

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Minimum Wage vs. EITC

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 9, 2007

CBO analysis compares the effect of a minimum wage increase vs. an Earned Income Tax Credit Increase for the poor. They find that while most of the benefits of…

Media

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Foie gras ban in Chicago is flouted

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 9, 2007

Chicago restuarants serve food in direct violation of a ban on foie gras. While I’ve been much for duck liver, this reassures me that no paternalistic big government will…

Media

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Guide to Earmark Reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 8, 2007

Citizens Against Government Waste offers a guide to earmark reform – both the House plan and President Bush’s proposal fail to meet many of the key elements.

Media

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The revenge of the failures

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 8, 2007

Bruce N. Shortt on how public agencies are trying to “help” homeschoolers by regulating them.

Media

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Leasing the Turnpike

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 8, 2007

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review editorial on a turnpike lease: But there’s resistance in the Keystone State where many people think only the government should operate public infrastructure. Is that because it…

Media

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CA to offer tax breaks for health insurance

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 5, 2007

Governor Schwarzenegger plans to make health coverage more affordable for Californians by making individually purchased plans tax free (the same way employer provide plans are taken from pre-tax income).

Media

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Tax as you go.

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 5, 2007

Wall Street Journal piece on Nancy Pelosi’s “PayGo” plan, which would prevent tax cuts but wouldn’t restrain spending.

Media

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The Right Minimum Wage: $0

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 4, 2007

George Will in the Washington Post on why the nostalgia for New Deal era Big Government proposals – such as the minimum wage – are as bad an idea…

Media

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Some big bills are coming due

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 3, 2007

Clarke Thomas in the Post-Gazette on the big bills (and potential tax increases to fund them) looming for state and local governments in transporation, employee pensions and health care,…

Media

Read More: Some big bills are coming due