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
Yearbook of School Choice
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
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Impacts of Liquor Privatization
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 PrivatizationEducation
PA School District Uses Tax Dollars to Fight School Choice
The West Shore School District—my district, as it happens—has issued a “newsletter” with the clear, but unstated, goal of opposing Senate Bill…
Media
Read More: PA School District Uses Tax Dollars to Fight School ChoiceEducation
Chart of the Day: Education Spending Under SB 1
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 1Education
Even with Act 1, School Property Taxes Climb
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 ClimbEducation
The Evidence on School Vouchers
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 VouchersEducation
Union Dues for More Lobbyists
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 LobbyistsEducation
Friendly Mis-Fire on School Choice
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 ChoiceEducation
Sen. Piccola and Matt Brouillette Discuss School Choice in PA
If you missed our webcast discussing Senate Bill 1 and school choice with Sen. Jeff Piccola, you can watch a replay here.
Media
Read More: Sen. Piccola and Matt Brouillette Discuss School Choice in PAEducation
Does School Choice Violate The Pennsylvania Constitution?
Good video from PA Independent on the Constitutionality of school vouchers in Pennsylvania, with Dick Komer, a senior attorney with the Institute for Justice.
Media
Read More: Does School Choice Violate The Pennsylvania Constitution?Education
Parents Need Choices & Control of Their Children’s Education
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 EducationEducation
Has More Money Improved School District Performance?
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
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 VouchersRegulation
Sony Site: Merely Renting Jobs with Corporate Welfare
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 WelfareRegulation
Fixing Rendell’s Mess
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 MessTaxes & Economy
UC Trust Fund Interest Another Fiscal Challenge for PA
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 PAEducation
What the PHEAA is Going On?
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
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 BudgetsTaxes & Economy
Residents Still Moving out of PA
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 PAEducation
Success Makes School Choice Take Top Priority
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 PriorityRegulation
Liquor Store Union Distorts Facts to Skew Poll
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