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.”

Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvanians Have Good Reasons to Oppose Higher Fuel Taxes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 30, 2010

Grove City College economist Tracy Miller explains why Pennsylvania drivers are resistant to a higher gasoline tax. In contrast to prior periods when the tax was viewed as a…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvanians Have Good Reasons to Oppose Higher Fuel Taxes

Taxes & Economy

Had Enough Skewed Polls from Gov. Rendell Yet?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 27, 2010

Ed Rendell’s “campaign” financed a new poll which was then given to the Governor’s Office to distribute, as well as to the propaganda arm of DEP and a…

Media

Read More: Had Enough Skewed Polls from Gov. Rendell Yet?

Health Care

Insurance Hypocrisy

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 27, 2010

I saw a commercial during an episode of Jeopardy from the Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority. It warns people against trying to buy car insurance after an accident…

Media

Read More: Insurance Hypocrisy

Education

Gov. Rendell’s Gamesmanship

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 27, 2010

While table games have been in Pennsylvania casinos for more than a month, I don't know if Gov. Rendell has tried his luck. But it would be a safe wager…

Commentary

Read More: Gov. Rendell’s Gamesmanship

Taxes & Economy

Turnpike Commission, PennDOT Fight Over Their Spoils

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 26, 2010

The Patriot News today reports that the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) and the PA Department of Transportation (PennDOT) are arguing over how much money the PTC has to pay…

Media

Read More: Turnpike Commission, PennDOT Fight Over Their Spoils

State Budget

Why Lawmakers Don’t (And Shouldn’t) Raise Taxes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 26, 2010

Terry Madonna and Michael Young have a new column asking why Pennsylvania lawmakers are so loath to raise taxes: This response differs dramatically from past practice. Throughout most…

Media

Read More: Why Lawmakers Don’t (And Shouldn’t) Raise Taxes

Taxes & Economy

Subsidies For Me But Not For Thee

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Nathan Benefield
  • August 25, 2010

Advocates of the natural gas jobs tax constantly argue large drilling companies aren’t paying their “fair share”. Now the tax-me-more folks are taking it one step further — attacking the…

Media

Read More: Subsidies For Me But Not For Thee

Regulation

Pennsylvania Liquor Fees to Rise

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 25, 2010

As reported at KDKA, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) will be raising fees on bottles of liquor beginning in January. The fee increase is expected to generate…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Liquor Fees to Rise

Regulation

More on Philadelphia’s “Blogger Tax”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 25, 2010

After we noted earlier this week Philadelphia’s forcing of any blogger with blogging income to pay the city’s business privilege license ($50/year or $300 for lifetime),…

Media

Read More: More on Philadelphia’s “Blogger Tax”

Health Care

“Explaining” ObamaCare

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 24, 2010

Merrill Matthews has a piece up on Forbes.com on why ObamaCare needs explaining…to those who voted for it. The report also says, “It is critical to reassure seniors…

Media

Read More: “Explaining” ObamaCare

Taxes & Economy

The A-Team View of Taxes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 23, 2010

As a kid growing up, I used to love watching the A-Team every week. Each week the A-Team would find someone in trouble, usually due to a violent gang of…

Media

Read More: The A-Team View of Taxes

Regulation

Philadelphia’s Blogger Tax

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 23, 2010

In case you missed it, the city of Philadelphia is demanding local bloggers pay a $300 business privilege license, as reported by the Philadelphia City Paper, despite not making…

Media

Read More: Philadelphia’s Blogger Tax

Taxes & Economy

How to Write Leading Poll Questions

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 20, 2010

Gov. Rendell continues to push for higher taxes and fees for transportation, this time by commissioning a poll — paid for with campaign funds (which are legally only to be…

Media

Read More: How to Write Leading Poll Questions

Taxes & Economy

Propaganda Without Logic

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 20, 2010

I previously highlighted a state-run newsletter on Marcellus Shale, which basically represents taxpayer-funded lobbying. But the latest Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale Examiner would really blow Mr. Spock’s mind. The…

Media

Read More: Propaganda Without Logic

Public Union Democracy

How Could this Not Increase Costs?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 19, 2010

The Tribune Review writes today about a project labor agreement (PLA) that Allegheny County Chief Executive (and Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate) Dan Onorato is taking some flak for. Amazingly, a…

Media

Read More: How Could this Not Increase Costs?

State Budget

“Across the Board” Budget Cuts are Lazy Policy

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 18, 2010

Gov. Rendell announced that to balance the Pennsylvania state budget — after getting $250 million less from Congress than predicted — he would be ordering cuts of 1.9% “across-the-board,”…

Media

Read More: “Across the Board” Budget Cuts are Lazy Policy

Taxes & Economy

Pittsburgh’s Proposed Petroleum Prohibition

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 18, 2010

The Post-Gazette features an article on a proposed ban on natural gas drilling in the city of Pittsburgh: Ben Price, who helped draft the bill as projects director…

Media

Read More: Pittsburgh’s Proposed Petroleum Prohibition

Taxes & Economy

Fact Check: DEP Funding

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 16, 2010

A Capitolwire article (subscription) on DEP funding highlights an argument between a former and current Department of Environmental Protection secretaries. Former DEP Secretary David Hess says the Department is…

Media

Read More: Fact Check: DEP Funding

Regulation

Has Corporate Welfare Ever Failed?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 13, 2010

A reader asks us if we know of any examples of corporate welfare where it has failed – not just on the Macro level, giving grants to select corporations while…

Media

Read More: Has Corporate Welfare Ever Failed?

Taxes & Economy

But I Thought All the Tax Cuts were “For the Rich” …

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 12, 2010

The Club for Growth highlights a Washington Post article on the expiration of the “Bush tax cuts” in 2011 (or, depending on your word choice, the “currently-scheduled tax…

Media

Read More: But I Thought All the Tax Cuts were “For the Rich” …

Education

Onorato Endorses School Choice Proposal

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 12, 2010

On Tuesday, we released a commentary noting that both candidates for governor in Pennsylvania – Tom Corbett (R) and Dan Onorato (D) – were advocates…

Media

Read More: Onorato Endorses School Choice Proposal