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.”

Bush: Time for a New Course

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 3, 2007

With Democrats in control in Congress, President Bush has decided to practice fiscal conservatism. In a letter to the Wall Street Journal, he promises to keep spending in check…

Media

Read More: Bush: Time for a New Course

Minimum Wage Impact

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 3, 2007

Coverage of the new Pennsylvania minimum wage and its impact on local businesses in the Carlisle Sentinel and the News Item. While local businesses feel the pinch and…

Media

Read More: Minimum Wage Impact

Legislative Reform on Tap?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 2, 2007

Regardless of who is elected Speaker of the House (see here), both the Pennsylvania House and Senate have promised to take up reforms to make the legislative process more…

Media

Read More: Legislative Reform on Tap?

Federal income tax data

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 21, 2006

In response to the commenter on my last post here are some numbers on federal income tax receipts: for 2000 and 2004 from the Tax Foundation and 2006…

Media

Read More: Federal income tax data

The Top 1% Pay 35%

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 20, 2006

Wall Street Journal article on how much “the rich” pay in taxes.

Media

Read More: The Top 1% Pay 35%

Health tab for public Pa. retirees nears $34 billion

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 20, 2006

AP Story on the liability for health coverage for retired state workers. Preliminary estimates are that state taxpayers will have to contribute $1.125 billion annually to pay off the…

Media

Read More: Health tab for public Pa. retirees nears $34 billion

To lease or not to lease

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 20, 2006

From Capitolwire.com (subscription): While Gov. Ed Rendell waits for a Dec. 22 deadline for private firms to submit “expressions of interest” to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike, public policy…

Media

Read More: To lease or not to lease

Gambling board perks add up to $25M

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 18, 2006

No wonder the Gaming Control Board is asking for a bigger budget: Brad Bumsted and Andrew Conte expose the waste on perks, in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Media

Read More: Gambling board perks add up to $25M

Pension crisis on the horizon

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 18, 2006

The Scranton Times-Tribune looks at the looming crisis in our state pension systems, and how lawmakers bolstering pension benefits exacerbated this crisis. Also, Mark Scolforo of the AP with…

Media

Read More: Pension crisis on the horizon

Leasing the Turnpike

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 18, 2006

Sunday’s Patriot News looks at the potential terms of a turnpike lease, and the affect potential limits and mandates would have on the price of a lease. Also, check…

Media

Read More: Leasing the Turnpike

Ending high school at 10th grade?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 15, 2006

A new report calls for ending high school after 10th grade (students could then enter community college or have two years of college prep work, paying teachers a higher starting…

Media

Read More: Ending high school at 10th grade?

Dubai firm to sell U.S. ports

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 15, 2006

Dubai Ports World is selling their US Ports operations to AIG. Here are all the changes planned after a year of the Dubai firm and several years of a…

Media

Read More: Dubai firm to sell U.S. ports

The Top 1% . . . of What?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 14, 2006

Wall Street Journal article looks at the PR campaign against the “top 1%”. Two points to note: 1) Using tax return as a measure of income misses a lot…

Media

Read More: The Top 1% . . . of What?

How to Help the Poor

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 13, 2006

John Stossel on how rich business leaders can help the poor… Great business creators like Duncan and Turner waste their skills if they just give money away.

Media

Read More: How to Help the Poor

The Education Market Index

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 13, 2006

The Cato Institute release a report, The Education Market Index, which ranks states on the freedom and choice in their K-12 education markets. Pennsylvania ranks 9th, but only with…

Media

Read More: The Education Market Index

Turnpike Lease is Win-Win for Taxpayers, Lawmakers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 12, 2006

Governor Rendell’s recent announcement that the state would seek “expressions of interest” on a lease of the Pennsylvania Turnpike is a recognition of the potential benefits of public-private partnerships (P3s)…

Commentary

Read More: Turnpike Lease is Win-Win for Taxpayers, Lawmakers

How do state taxes effect entrepreneurship?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 11, 2006

A report by the SBA Office of Advocacy looks at state taxes and the effect on entrepreneurship (measure as the number of sole proprietors). While much of their analysis…

Media

Read More: How do state taxes effect entrepreneurship?