Nathan Benefield

Nathan Benefield

Senior Vice President

Nathan (Nate) Benefield is the Senior Vice President 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 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

Yearbook of School Choice

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 14, 2011

The Alliance for School Choice has released its 2010-11 school choice yearbook. The report includes an overview of the growth of school choice programs around the country, a roundup…

Media

Read More: Yearbook of School Choice

Regulation

Impacts of Liquor Privatization

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 14, 2011

Remarks by Nathan Benefield, Director of Policy Research, Commonwealth Foundation Good afternoon. I am Nathan Benefield, Director of Policy Research for the Commonwealth Foundation.  We are a nonprofit, independent public…

Testimony

Read More: Impacts of Liquor Privatization

Education

Chart of the Day: Education Spending Under SB 1

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 8, 2011

Below is a chart showing estimated spending in Pennsylvania under Senate Bill 1 (this assumes $50 million for opportunity scholarships, $75 million for…

Media

Read More: Chart of the Day: Education Spending Under SB 1

Education

Even with Act 1, School Property Taxes Climb

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 7, 2011

The Patriot News takes a look at the failure of Act 1 of 2006 (special session) to slow the growth of school property taxes. Indeed, since the slots law…

Media

Read More: Even with Act 1, School Property Taxes Climb

Education

The Evidence on School Vouchers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 2, 2011

Here is a letter I submitted to the Philadelphia Daily News to correct some “facts” about school choice: Elmer Smith’s column denouncing a school choice proposal…

Media

Read More: The Evidence on School Vouchers

Education

Union Dues for More Lobbyists

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 1, 2011

Last month, the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) announced it was raising mandatory dues on teachers and school employees by 11%. Where is that money going? You’d better believe…

Media

Read More: Union Dues for More Lobbyists

Education

Friendly Mis-Fire on School Choice

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 28, 2011

In a column, Chris Freind attacked Senate Bill 1, the Piccola-Williams “Opportunity Scholarship Act.” Having obviously neglected to tune into our webcast on SB 1 with Sen. Piccola,…

Media

Read More: Friendly Mis-Fire on School Choice

Education

Parents Need Choices & Control of Their Children’s Education

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 26, 2011

Almost 40,000 students used an EITC scholarship last year—with an average value of $1,000—to attend a better or safer school. The average annual family income for these students was only…

Commentary

Read More: Parents Need Choices & Control of Their Children’s Education

Education

Has More Money Improved School District Performance?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 25, 2011

A recent study by the 21st Century Partnership for STEM Education (STEM is short for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, which is a good cause to use an acronym)…

Media

Read More: Has More Money Improved School District Performance?

Education

PSBA’s Web of Lies on School Vouchers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 21, 2011

The Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA), in a desperate attempt to preserve the status quo in education, has launched a new portal, VoucherWatch. Of the many pieces of misinformation…

Media

Read More: PSBA’s Web of Lies on School Vouchers

Regulation

Sony Site: Merely Renting Jobs with Corporate Welfare

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 20, 2011

Last week, the state gave $10 million to rehabilitate the former site of a Sony plant—marking the fourth time taxpayer funding has been used to “create jobs” at the exact…

Media

Read More: Sony Site: Merely Renting Jobs with Corporate Welfare

Regulation

Fixing Rendell’s Mess

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 20, 2011

Penn's Woods are darker and deeper in red ink than ever before thanks to the tax-borrow-and-spend agenda of the Rendell Administration and some General Assembly members who failed to put…

Commentary

Read More: Fixing Rendell’s Mess

Taxes & Economy

UC Trust Fund Interest Another Fiscal Challenge for PA

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 18, 2011

A recent NY Times piece looks at the impact of states’ borrowing to pay their unemployment compensation (UC), now that the federal government will begin charging interest on these…

Media

Read More: UC Trust Fund Interest Another Fiscal Challenge for PA

Education

What the PHEAA is Going On?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 17, 2011

The Patriot News reports that former Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) boss Michael Hershock got $200,000 in a settlement over his 2009 firing.   To recap, he was fired…

Media

Read More: What the PHEAA is Going On?

State Budget

Medicaid: Breaking the Back of State Budgets

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 13, 2011

Last week, 30 Republican governors and governors-elect, including Tom Corbett, sent a letter to the Obama administration and members of Congress asking for greater flexibility in managing their Medicaid…

Media

Read More: Medicaid: Breaking the Back of State Budgets

Taxes & Economy

Residents Still Moving out of PA

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 13, 2011

The latest United Van Lines survey continues to show Pennsylvania is a “high outbound state”—meaning more people are renting trucks to move out of Pennsylvania than moving in (HT…

Media

Read More: Residents Still Moving out of PA

Education

Success Makes School Choice Take Top Priority

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 11, 2011

Senators Jeffrey Piccola and Anthony Williams announced The Opportunity Scholarship Act, which expands school choice in Pennsylvania by creating a voucher program for low-income students and increases the state’s…

Media

Read More: Success Makes School Choice Take Top Priority

Regulation

Liquor Store Union Distorts Facts to Skew Poll

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 10, 2011

We received a forwarded email, in which the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1776 (the union for liquor store employees) called on members to vote in a PCN…

Media

Read More: Liquor Store Union Distorts Facts to Skew Poll