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.”
Taxes & Economy
Agriculture Still Isn’t Number One
Lowman Henry leads off a recent commentary with the legend that Agriculture is Pennsylvania’s “number one industry” and employs nearly one million workers. Readers will recall that this is…
Media
Read More: Agriculture Still Isn’t Number OneRegulation
Why Not A Defined Contribution Retirement Plan for Public Employees?
In a Capitolwire story about the Pennsylvania pension “reform” bill that would primarily defer costs to the future, Sen. Pat Browne says, We tried to go as…
Media
Read More: Why Not A Defined Contribution Retirement Plan for Public Employees?Regulation
How HB 2497 Costs Taxpayers $67 Billion
A supporter writes, saying he called his state Senator about HB 2497, and the lawmaker told him the bill would “save money.” As we’ve…
Media
Read More: How HB 2497 Costs Taxpayers $67 Billion
Rendell: Just Give Me Your Money Already
Gov. Ed “if you vote for Republicans you might die” Rendell held another lame-duck press conference today to quack about not getting higher taxes. Whining that the PA Constitutional…
Media
Read More: Rendell: Just Give Me Your Money AlreadyHealth Care
Big Gas, Big Fast Food Chains, and Big Government
PA Independent reports that the largest drillers in the Marcellus Shale sat in on the Rendell and the Conquistadors’ Columbus Day meeting: Although 75 companies currently operate wells…
Media
Read More: Big Gas, Big Fast Food Chains, and Big GovernmentTaxes & Economy
Too Much Spending or Not Enough Taxes?
Chart-master Veronique de Rugy sums up the debate over extending the tax cuts and federal deficits in a simple chart. The dominant blue bar represents the mind-boggling $42 trillion…
Media
Read More: Too Much Spending or Not Enough Taxes?Government Accountability
More Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying for Higher Taxes
I have highlighted the taxpayer funded propaganda in the guise of a “newsletter,” titled the Marcellus Shale Examiner, before. The latest newsletter, which leads with Gov. Rendell’s “We…
Media
Read More: More Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying for Higher TaxesTaxes & Economy
We are All Fiscal Conservatives Now
My remarks at PA Liberty Conference I’ll start with a question I often get…or at least a question that is often proffered to no one in particular, that I…
Media
Read More: We are All Fiscal Conservatives NowEducation
Auditor General Hits the Wrong Target
Here is a note I sent to Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner regarding his call for a moratorium on new charter schools until the funding mechanism is “fixed”:…
Media
Read More: Auditor General Hits the Wrong TargetTaxes & Economy
Immigration Verification and Welfare Fraud
Thank you for allowing the Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives, a non-partisan educational institute based in Harrisburg, to submit written testimony concerning HB 1359, which would require proof of…
Testimony
Read More: Immigration Verification and Welfare FraudRegulation
Hey Big Spender
Yesterday, Gov. Rendell held a press conference to make note that Tom Corbett was overstating the amount of Pennsylvania taxpayer money Rendell was wasting on pork-barrel projects. Examples cited…
Media
Read More: Hey Big SpenderRegulation
The Only Way to Fix Public Pensions
The Baltimore Sun editorializes that the only way to fix the pension plan for state workers (in Maryland, though the same would hold true in Pennsylvania) is to move…
Media
Read More: The Only Way to Fix Public PensionsGovernment Accountability
Severance Tax Legislation: The Process Stinks Too
The Pennsylvania House amended legislation to impose a severance tax on natural gas last night, and will likely vote on the bill tonight. We wrote yesterday about the merits…
Media
Read More: Severance Tax Legislation: The Process Stinks TooTaxes & Economy
Fact Check: Severance Tax Proposal Would be Highest in US
SB 1155 would impose a severance tax rate of 39 cents per MCF. At the August estimated average wellhead price of $4.22 per MCF, this is an effective…
Media
Read More: Fact Check: Severance Tax Proposal Would be Highest in USEducation
Report: PA School Spending Not Linked to Performance
A new study from the 21st Century Partnership for STEM Education (STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) finds little relationship between education spending and performance. Specifically, the…
Media
Read More: Report: PA School Spending Not Linked to PerformanceState Budget
Where to Find Ideas to Balance the PA Budget
John Micek of the Morning Call has a piece today noting that the two candidates for Governor — Dan Onorato and Tom Corbett — have promised no, or few, new…
Media
Read More: Where to Find Ideas to Balance the PA BudgetTaxes & Economy
Why Do We Need a Severance Tax?
Proponents of a natural gas severance tax have been offering several arguments supporting a tax, here are the three main talking points used by tax advocates: 1) Higher taxes will…
Media
Read More: Why Do We Need a Severance Tax?Health Care
Why Obama Can’t “Sell” the Health Care Law
The AP writes that President Obama blames himself for not “selling” the health care law — this despite giving dozens of speeches on the issue and spending millions…
Media
Read More: Why Obama Can’t “Sell” the Health Care Law
Three Myths about Free Market Conservatives
Working for a free-market think tank, one hears all the attacks against conservatives and endures being given many labels. Three of the most common attacks launched by both those who…
Commentary
Read More: Three Myths about Free Market ConservativesRegulation
Film Tax Credits are Bad Economics
Josh Barro of the Manhattan Institute hammers on film tax credits, which have been so popular among lawmakers in Pennsylvania and other states, who love when movie stars…
Media
Read More: Film Tax Credits are Bad EconomicsRegulation
Privatizing Pittsburgh Parking
The Post-Gazette reports the highest bid for a lease of Pittsburgh’s public parking garages came in at $452 million, well above what was expected. While the city of Pittsburgh…
Media
Read More: Privatizing Pittsburgh Parking