Nathan Benefield
Chief Policy Officer
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
Government Wholesale Monopoly Bad for Pennsylvania
Testimony to the Senate Law and Justice Committee yesterday illustrated why wholesale privatization must be a part of “modernizing” liquor sales in Pennsylvania. The PLCB’s wholesale monopoly can’t serve current,…
Media
Read More: Government Wholesale Monopoly Bad for PennsylvaniaRegulation
Myth: PLCB vs Largest Wholesalers
One popular myth in the liquor debate is that the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has enormous “buying power” that benefits Pennsylvanians. The story goes that the state is the largest, or…
Media
Read More: Myth: PLCB vs Largest WholesalersRegulation
Privatization Opponents: Distorting or Ill-Informed?
Critics of liquor store privatization claim that a CDC study suggests liquor privatization would result in greater social harms. The problem: The flawed study doesn’t support that claim, and…
Media
Read More: Privatization Opponents: Distorting or Ill-Informed?Taxes & Economy
The Economic Impact of Gov. Corbett’s Proposed Tax Reform
This policy brief utilizes PA-STAMP to estimate the impact of Gov. Corbett’s proposed tax reform package. Accordingly, by 2017-18, these reforms (compared with current policy) would result in: 1,259 additional…
Fact Sheet
Read More: The Economic Impact of Gov. Corbett’s Proposed Tax ReformRegulation
Facts Contradict Claims of Liquor Monopoly Supporters
I’ve received some email responses critical of my recent commentary on liquor privatization. These responses, unfortunately, echo many of faulty claims served up by supporters of the…
Media
Read More: Facts Contradict Claims of Liquor Monopoly SupportersRegulation
Liquor Privatization Done Right
It's decades past time to get government out of our Prohibition-era liquor system. Pennsylvanians have suffered from the PLCB's conflicts of interest and taxpayer-funded boondoggles for far too long. Until…
Commentary
Read More: Liquor Privatization Done RightPublic Union Democracy
Reckless Scheme or Reckless Ad?
The United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) is spending a million in order to save a million—every year! The UFCW announced a $1 million statewide television ad buy attacking…
Media
Read More: Reckless Scheme or Reckless Ad?Regulation
New Life for Landmark Pension Reform
Landmark pension reform legislation was unveiled today, as the Commonwealth Foundation stood with Gov. Tom Corbett, state lawmakers, business leaders, school board members and other groups. The new bills, introduced…
Media
Read More: New Life for Landmark Pension ReformHealth Care
Reality Check: We’re Overspending
Bad revenue collections and updated projections highlight a big problem in the state budget: We are spending more than we are collecting. The problem is much worse than a recent…
Media
Read More: Reality Check: We’re OverspendingRegulation
Social Impacts of Liquor Privatization
Submitted Testimony of the Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives to the Senate Law & Justice Committee, April 30, 2013 The Commonwealth Foundation would like to thank…
Testimony
Read More: Social Impacts of Liquor PrivatizationRegulation
Consensus: Liquor Privatization No Threat to Safety
A recent Philadelphia Inquirer piece tries to give both sides of the debate over liquor privatization. But one key fact ingored was that the Community Preventive Services Task Force…
Media
Read More: Consensus: Liquor Privatization No Threat to SafetyRegulation
Sobering Facts on Liquor Privatization
Sen. Daylin Leach’s editorial on liquor store privatization repeatedly misstates facts. Here is my letter to the editor in the Delaware County Times to set the record straight:…
Media
Read More: Sobering Facts on Liquor PrivatizationWelfare
Reforms Bringing Sanity to Welfare
Last year the Pa. Department of Public Welfare implemented—and Commonwealth Foundation touted—a new asset test on food stamps to ensure those with means were not benefiting from programs intended…
Media
Read More: Reforms Bringing Sanity to WelfareRegulation
Fact Check: Liquor Liberty in Washington
In 2011, voters in Washington State approved a ballot measure to privatize the state wholesale and retail liquor monopoly, allowing private retailers to sell liquor. Unlike Pennsylvania, wine was already…
Media
Read More: Fact Check: Liquor Liberty in WashingtonRegulation
Liquor Privatization: Good for Business (Except in Jersey)
Ending Pennsylvania’s government liquor monopoly has some folks worried…like liquor store owners in New Jersey. Writes Jason Laday of the South Jersey Times: At any given time, on…
Media
Read More: Liquor Privatization: Good for Business (Except in Jersey)Regulation
Liquor Privatization Benefits Beer Distributors
In the Bucks County Intelligencer, Sen. Chuck McIlhinney suggests that the liquor privization bill that passed the House last week doesn’t do enough for beer distributors. In contrast,…
Media
Read More: Liquor Privatization Benefits Beer Distributors
Liquor Privatization: Social Impacts
The PLCB has a conflict of interest-on the one hand controlling and monitoring alcohol, and on the other, advertising and marketing the sale of alcohol. Government control has not made…
Memo
Read More: Liquor Privatization: Social ImpactsRegulation
Who Supports Liquor Liberty?
Today the Pennsylvania House is poised to pass landmark legislation (H.B. 790) to privatize the 80-year-old state store system and end the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s (PLCB) inefficient and antiquated…
Media
Read More: Who Supports Liquor Liberty?Health Care
Expanding Medicaid: Eat Now, Starve Later
When the governor released his budget last month, the loudest opposition hinged on Medicaid - government insurance for the poor and disabled. Advocates of expanding the program via the Affordable…
Commentary
Read More: Expanding Medicaid: Eat Now, Starve LaterRegulation
Mailbag: Booze Q’s
As legislation to get government out of the booze business is debated in the state House, CF‘s mailbox is overflowing with questions about liquor liberty! You asked, we answered: Q:…
Media
Read More: Mailbag: Booze Q’sRegulation
Desperate Times, Desperate Claims
UFCW President Wendell Young is so desperate to retain Pennsylvania’s 80-year old government liquor monopoly that he’ll say anything. Most recently, he claimed “privateers” were hacking an online poll…
Media
Read More: Desperate Times, Desperate Claims