Nathan Benefield
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Nathan Benefield

Chief Policy Officer

Nathan (Nate) Benefield is the Chief Policy Officer 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 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.”

What should the Dems do?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 15, 2006

Greg Mankiw analyzes new VA Senator Jim Webb’s editorial in the Wall Street Journal on income inequality: Erecting barriers to trade, raising the minimum wage, encouraging the cartelization…

Media

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PHEAA Ordered to Open Books

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 15, 2006

The Commonwealth Court rules that the Open Records law, which applies to all state agencies, applies to PHEAA, which is a state agency that had refused to disclose many of…

Media

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State eyes gas tax increase

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 14, 2006

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review coverage of the Transporation Funding Commission’s report and proposals to increase various taxes for increased transportation Spending.

Media

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Freshmen call for leadership reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 14, 2006

Herald Standard article on today’s House leadership elections. Newly elected Democratic Representatives “Mahoney, Kula, and Galloway said they would reveal their votes to the press” Read our…

Media

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State court rejects lawsuit over ‘perks’ for legislators

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 14, 2006

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Harrisburg activist Gene Stilp, who filed the Commonwealth Court suit in February, based his claim on a section of the constitution providing for legislators to…

Media

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Transit Funding Report

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 13, 2006

The PA Transportation Funding and Reform Commission released their final report today: among their recommendations are: $1.7 Billion Annually in New Funding ($900 million for state highways and bridges,…

Media

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General Assembly Leadership Elections

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 13, 2006

Even though John Perzel thinks the public should “keep out of something you don’t belong in” – as in leadership elections, here is some of the lastest info anyway.

Media

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Government Accountability

The Elections Big Winner: Reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 13, 2006

Did voters reject Republicans and embrace Democrats in the 2006 elections? Of course; the gains in seats held by Democrats (both nationally and statewide) suggest they did. But the reasons…

Commentary

Read More: The Elections Big Winner: Reform

Club For Growth Survey of Voter Attitudes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 10, 2006

This is a must read survey of likely voters by The Club For Growth – particularly for those who think Republicans like Lincoln Chafee and Mike Dewine lost because…

Media

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Veon’s defeat shocks Democratic leaders

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 9, 2006

Post-Gazette Article on Mike Veon’s loss: “When you wanted money, you went to Mike, no matter what county you were from,” Beaver County Commissioners’ Chairman Dan Donatella said. But…

Media

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General Assembly Leadership Elections

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 9, 2006

The first vote for 55 new state legislators will be for their caucus leadership. Check out this Patriot News Article on what is shaping up to be quite a…

Media

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The Rendell Agenda

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 9, 2006

Patriot News article on Rendell’s outline of his second term agenda.

Media

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The election was a referendum on GOP failure

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 9, 2006

Wall Street Journal editorial analyzing the election results as well as the Democratic agenda – given that most of the freshmen are more moderate to conservative Democrats, whereas the…

Media

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Congress and the Stock Market

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 7, 2006

A few financial analysts have attributed stock market gains of the past two days as speculation over the winners of today’s election. However, this study is worth a…

Media

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BREAKING NEWS

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 7, 2006

The first breaking news alert on this election day: Britney Spears files for divorce. I’m not even going to bother with the requisite joke.

Media

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