Nathan Benefield

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.”

Regulation

Union CEO Calls Majority Leader a Liar

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 27, 2014

Union CEO Wendell Young issued a press release Wednesday claiming, “there’s no nice way to put this but he [House Majority Leader Mike Turzai] is not telling the truth…

Media

Read More: Union CEO Calls Majority Leader a Liar

Public Union Democracy

What You Need to Know About the Paycheck Protection Bills

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 26, 2014

Taking a strong stand for taxpayers, the House and Senate State Government Committees passed paycheck protection legislation this week. Both committees amended original versions of their respective paycheck protection bills.

Media

Read More: What You Need to Know About the Paycheck Protection Bills

State Budget

House Budget Holds the Line on Taxes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 25, 2014

Yesterday, the PA House of Representatives advanced a $29.1 billion spending bill. This bill could be voted on by the full House today. There is much to like in this…

Media

Read More: House Budget Holds the Line on Taxes

Government Accountability

The Real Cost of Paycheck Protection

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 24, 2014

Critics of paycheck protection claim that the practice of our government deducting union dues and campaign contributions from workers’ paychecks “only costs $100.” That’s based on a letter from Treasurer…

Media

Read More: The Real Cost of Paycheck Protection

Public Union Democracy

Mailbag: How will SuperPACs Affect Pennsylvania?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 20, 2014

A PolicyBlog reader asked if we could explain a recent “SuperPAC” ruling we covered in an op-ed back in April, along with its implications for state and national elections.

Media

Read More: Mailbag: How will SuperPACs Affect Pennsylvania?

Public Union Democracy

End Teacher Bullying with Paycheck Protection

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 18, 2014

As most PolicyBlog readers already know, union dues are being used for political action. Moreover, taxpayer resources are used to collect both union dues and union campaign contributions. We at…

Media

Read More: End Teacher Bullying with Paycheck Protection

Education

Union Leaders’ Lobbying Hurts Teachers, Students

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 16, 2014

Last week we highlighted a California judge who ruled that laws enforcing teacher seniority and tenure were unconstitutional and violated students’ rights to a quality education. But here in…

Media

Read More: Union Leaders’ Lobbying Hurts Teachers, Students

Regulation

Union Lobbyists Not Interested in Solving Pension Crisis

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 13, 2014

My latest letter to the editor in the Phoenix Reporter and Item corrects the record, noting that government union leaders have for years denied a pension crisis, supported underfunded pensions for…

Media

Read More: Union Lobbyists Not Interested in Solving Pension Crisis

Public Union Democracy

The Government Union Billion Dollar Tax Hike

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 11, 2014

In 2012, Americans paid more in taxes than they did for food, clothing and shelter combined. In Pennsylvania, residents labor under the 10th highest tax burden in the…

Media

Read More: The Government Union Billion Dollar Tax Hike

Education

Students Win over Seniority Laws

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 11, 2014

Big news out of California, where a state judge struck down that state’s teacher seniority and tenure laws. The lawsuit was filed by 9 students who believed that…

Media

Read More: Students Win over Seniority Laws

Public Union Democracy

Union Leaders Lie to Lawmakers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 6, 2014

While public school teachers, taxpayer advocates and business leaders supporting paycheck protection answered pointed questions yesterday from lawmakers, government union executives refused to attend the House…

Media

Read More: Union Leaders Lie to Lawmakers

Education

Pension Reform Benefits Teachers & Taxpayers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 30, 2014

Standard & Poor’s recently issued a stern warning that they would lower Pennsylvania’s bond rating—making it more expensive for the state to borrow money—unless they “adopt meaningful pension reform.” This…

Commentary

Read More: Pension Reform Benefits Teachers & Taxpayers

Regulation

Use School Reserves to Fund Pensions

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 28, 2014

In 2013, Pennsylvania school districts increased their reserve funds by $445 million—to a total approaching $4 billion as of June 30, 2013—according to the latest data from…

Media

Read More: Use School Reserves to Fund Pensions

Public Union Democracy

Government Union CEOs Make Their Own Rules

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 15, 2014

When questioned about why he failed to register as a lobbyist, UFCW president Wendell Young IV excused himself with a special exemption from the law that doesn’t exist. He told…

Media

Read More: Government Union CEOs Make Their Own Rules

Education

Ignoring Pension Costs Won’t Work

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 13, 2014

We’ve mentioned before the big lie of “$1 billion cut from education.”  Part of the reason that lie continues is that union executives ignore a big chunk of education…

Media

Read More: Ignoring Pension Costs Won’t Work

Public Union Democracy

Top 5 Reasons We Need a Paycheck Protection Law

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 12, 2014

Occasionally I get asked why we need a state law preventing taxpayer resources from being used to collect union political money (“paycheck protection“), when local government can choose to…

Media

Read More: Top 5 Reasons We Need a Paycheck Protection Law

Education

School Spending is the Issue

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 9, 2014

My letter to the editor in yesterday’s York Daily Record addresses some inaccuracies about education spending in Pennsylvania. Your editorial on education funding (“Funding formula a good…

Media

Read More: School Spending is the Issue

State Budget

Tax Cuts To Blame for Pennsylvania’s Budget Deficit?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 30, 2014

As we have pointed out in the past, Pennsylvania’s legacy of overspending has created a looming deficit, threatening to destroy our fiscal house. Yet, some lawmakers and public officials…

Media

Read More: Tax Cuts To Blame for Pennsylvania’s Budget Deficit?

State Budget

S&P Worried About Pennsylvania’s Overspending

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 25, 2014

Standard & Poor’s is sounding the alarm, once again, on Pennsylvania’s record of overspending. A new S&P report singles out the commonwealth for not putting our fiscal house in order,…

Media

Read More: S&P Worried About Pennsylvania’s Overspending

Government Accountability

Government Unions’ Political Power Grows

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 11, 2014

Despite claims that union dues aren’t used for politics, the amount Pennsylvania’s five largest government unions reported spending from union dues on “political activities and lobbying” increased in…

Media

Read More: Government Unions’ Political Power Grows

Taxes & Economy

Taxes Not Popular in Pennsylvania

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 10, 2014

Shocker! (Not really). A new Gallup poll finds that the majority of Pennsylvanians—58 percent—think state taxes are too high. Pennsylvania’s polling falls right in line based on our tax…

Media

Read More: Taxes Not Popular in Pennsylvania