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.”
Taxes & Economy
Inheritance Tax Reform
Testimony of Nathan A. Benefield, Director of Policy Analysis, Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives, Pennsylvania House Finance Committee Good morning. I am Nathan Benefield, Director of Policy Analysis for…
Testimony
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How Does Your Public School Stack up Against the World?
The George W. Bush Institute has a new “Global Report Card” looking at test scores for each school district in the United States against students around the world…
Media
Read More: How Does Your Public School Stack up Against the World?Education
The Learning Revolution
Online learning serves a significant and growing number of students, and represents a significant shift in how we educate Pennsylvania's children. In light of the growth of cyber and hybrid…
Report
Read More: The Learning RevolutionEducation
Taxpayer-Funded Lobbyists’ Survey Contradicts Real Polls
The Pennsylvania School Boards Association has released a new “survey” claiming that state residents oppose plans to provide vouchers to students. The PSBA’s funding comes from taxpayers through school…
Media
Read More: Taxpayer-Funded Lobbyists’ Survey Contradicts Real Polls
Corbett’s Fee Won’t Fund PennFuture, and PennFuture Isn’t Happy
Following Gov. Corbett’s outline for a Marcellus Shale impact fee, enviro-profiteers PennFuture blasted the Governor’s proposal because, among other things, it “leaves too much money on the…
Media
Read More: Corbett’s Fee Won’t Fund PennFuture, and PennFuture Isn’t HappyTaxes & Economy
Evaluating Gov Corbett’s Marcellus Shale Impact Fee
Gov. Tom Corbett unveiled his Marcellus Shale impact fee proposal in Pittsburgh today. Corbett’s proposal represents a significant improvement from some of the leading tax and fee proposals. Framework…
Media
Read More: Evaluating Gov Corbett’s Marcellus Shale Impact FeeRegulation
Lessons for Pennsylvania from Jersey Shore
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie recently nixed a tax credit for production of MTV’s Jersey Shore. This is a TV show that apparently doesn’t portray New Jersey in the…
Media
Read More: Lessons for Pennsylvania from Jersey ShorePublic Union Democracy
New Polling Shows 72 Percent of Pennsylvanians Support Right to Work
New polling conducted by Douglas E. Schoen, LLC for the Manhattan Institute nationally and in 10 targeted states shows widespread bipartisan support to reduce state government spending rather than…
Media
Read More: New Polling Shows 72 Percent of Pennsylvanians Support Right to WorkEducation
SAT Scores by State, 2011
EDITORS NOTE: Click here for the 2014 SAT Scores by state Every year, the College Board puts out SAT scores by state, but only in PDF format. Since…
Media
Read More: SAT Scores by State, 2011
Frackophobes With Egg on Their Face
While Pennsylvania dealt with the realities of floods last week, frackophobic Penn Environment exploited the disaster by flooding the blogosphere with fear through positing a picture that led…
Media
Read More: Frackophobes With Egg on Their FaceEducation
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 Tax