Nathan Benefield
Senior Vice President
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.”
Education
Do Public Schools Need More Construction Spending?
One of the supposed benefits of President Obama’s “Jobs Bill” (despite demands to “pass it now”, the jobs bill has not yet…
Media
Read More: Do Public Schools Need More Construction Spending?Regulation
Licensing Regulations Drives Out Entrepreneurs
A Morning Call article brings to light the anti-entrepreneurship policy of occupational licensing. The article focuses on fines imposed on folks trying, in most cases, to earn a living:…
Media
Read More: Licensing Regulations Drives Out Entrepreneurs
Synopsis of Stimulus 7: Serious Spending
Obama laid out his “jobs speech” Thursday night, outlining the plot of Stimulus 7. Since few people paid attention to this, on account of flooding in Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Synopsis of Stimulus 7: Serious SpendingRegulation
Rick Perry, Corporate Welfare and Pennsylvania
Texas Governor and Presidential Candidate Rick Perry has taken some flak recently for “job creation” funds, which largely direct taxpayer funds to corporations and special projects. This is commonly…
Media
Read More: Rick Perry, Corporate Welfare and PennsylvaniaEducation
Tax Credit Scholarships Shown to Improve Student Performance
A new study of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship—which provides tax credits for businesses donating to organizations offering scholarships to K-12 students, similar to Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax—finds academic…
Media
Read More: Tax Credit Scholarships Shown to Improve Student PerformanceRegulation
Fact of the Day: Wine and Spirits Prices in Pennsylvania & Border States
Today, CF released a fact sheet on government-run liquor stores, including a comparison of average wine and…
Media
Read More: Fact of the Day: Wine and Spirits Prices in Pennsylvania & Border StatesRegulation
Wine Kiosks: One of These Things is Not Like the Others
Yesterday, Auditor General Jack Wagner released an audit of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s wine kiosk program. Following that, PLCB CEO Joe Conti talked with capitol reporters. In the…
Media
Read More: Wine Kiosks: One of These Things is Not Like the OthersTaxes & Economy
Estimating Marcellus Shale’s Economic Impact
A new study from Penn State’s Marcellus Shale Education & Training Center estimates that natural gas drilling in Marcellus Shale created 24,000 jobs in Pennsylvania and added $3.1 billion…
Media
Read More: Estimating Marcellus Shale’s Economic ImpactPublic Union Democracy
When Union Bosses Make Stuff Up, We Offer Facts
In a story by PA Independent, AFL-CIO head honcho Rick Bloomingdale attempts to deny the incredible job growth in right-to-work states like Texas. Bloomingdale comments: “Most likely, the…
Media
Read More: When Union Bosses Make Stuff Up, We Offer FactsEducation
Texas vs. Pennsylvania on Educational Performance
At a hearing yesterday on right-to-work legislation, a number of testifiers remarked on the substantially greater job growth in right-to-work states, on the fact residents are moving from…
Media
Read More: Texas vs. Pennsylvania on Educational PerformanceRegulation
Understanding the Proposed Gallonage Tax
Rep. Mike Turzai’s proposal to get state government out of the business of selling liquor (HB 11) would replace current alcohol taxes and fees with a “gallonage tax.” This…
Media
Read More: Understanding the Proposed Gallonage TaxEducation
This is Educational Accountability?
At a recent Pennsylvania House Education Committee hearing, lawmakers questioned whether a proposed voucher program would provide “accountability”. Indeed, they want to be sure that these schools have the…
Media
Read More: This is Educational Accountability?Regulation
Conti Continues Canard Campaign
Roxbury News has posted a video of Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board CEO Joe Conti calling for “civility” from critics of the PLCB. Mr. Conti claims that without the…
Media
Read More: Conti Continues Canard CampaignGovernment Accountability
Which Government Structure Reforms will Benefit Taxpayers?
This week, the Pennsylvania House State Government Committee held a hearing on bills to reduce the size of the General Assembly (i.e., the number of legislators). While CF did…
Media
Read More: Which Government Structure Reforms will Benefit Taxpayers?Education
Yes, Vouchers DO Improve Student Learning
The Philadelphia Inquirer today reports on a “study”—from a group dedicated to protecting the educational status quo and led by a partisan staffer—that claims that school vouchers have…
Media
Read More: Yes, Vouchers DO Improve Student Learning
Big Government’s New Bogeyman…and those Other Guys
Media outlets in Pennsylvania have picked up some stories of attack groups “exposing” the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) at their annual meeting in New Orleans this week.
Media
Read More: Big Government’s New Bogeyman…and those Other GuysRegulation
End of PLCB’s Wine Kiosk Perestroika
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s experiment with wine kiosks—dubbed by my colleague Jay Ostrich as the PLCB’s version of Perestroika—may be coming to an end. This comes on…
Media
Read More: End of PLCB’s Wine Kiosk PerestroikaRegulation
Fact of the Day: Where do Underage Drinkers Get Alcohol?
One of the myths perpetrated about letting private, licensed stores sell wine or liquor, rather than maintain a government monopoly, is that there will be a huge increase in underage…
Media
Read More: Fact of the Day: Where do Underage Drinkers Get Alcohol?Regulation
Fact of the Day: Underage and Binge Drinking
As noted yesterday, Pennsylvania ranks middle of the pack or worse in terms of alcohol-related deaths and traffic accidents, despite…
Media
Read More: Fact of the Day: Underage and Binge DrinkingRegulation
Fact of the Day: Liquor Safety and Government Control
Much of the discussion about ending government-run liquor stores in Pennsylvania is about safety—particularly alcohol related deaths and traffic accidents. But despite being among the states with the…
Media
Read More: Fact of the Day: Liquor Safety and Government ControlEducation
Two New Studies Show Benefits of School Choice
As the debate on school choice continues in Pennsylvania, a couple recent studies highlight the benefits of school voucher programs in the U.S. and internationally. The first study looks at…
Media
Read More: Two New Studies Show Benefits of School Choice