Nathan Benefield

Nathan Benefield

Chief Policy Officer

Nathan (Nate) Benefield is the Chief Policy Officer 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 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.”

Government Accountability

Judical Merit Selection Info

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 9, 2010

A proposed Pennsylvania state constitutional amendment on merit selection of judges is/was the subject of a press conference today, feature the most recent living Pennsylvania governors. The topic was spurred…

Media

Read More: Judical Merit Selection Info

Regulation

The $52 Billion Pension Deferral Plan

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 9, 2010

Legislation that would implement Gov. Rendell’s deferral of payment on state pension obligations is under debate in Pennsylvania House. HB 2497 would limit the annual increased in the…

Media

Read More: The $52 Billion Pension Deferral Plan

Taxes & Economy

The Overton Window

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 8, 2010

The Overton Window – the title of Glenn Beck’s new book, a work of fiction which borrows from the idea- is a concept that help drives the work of…

Media

Read More: The Overton Window

State Budget

Rendell Ends Taxpayer Funded Legacy Project

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 7, 2010

Reported here earlier, the Rendell administration had been paying a public relations guru to research the “successes” of Rendell’s policies, to be used to lobby for higher taxes. Today.

Media

Read More: Rendell Ends Taxpayer Funded Legacy Project

Regulation

Video: Fiscal Lessons for Pennsylvania

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 7, 2010

In a new video, Maurice McTigue, Vice President at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, and a former member of the New Zealand Parliament, speaks about how…

Media

Read More: Video: Fiscal Lessons for Pennsylvania

State Budget

The State and Local Government Debt Mess

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 4, 2010

While investment guru Warren Buffett is pulling out of municipal bonds, Gov. Rendell says Buffett doesn’t know what he is talking about, and that there is no problem with…

Media

Read More: The State and Local Government Debt Mess

Regulation

Why PA Corporations Don’t Pay Taxes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 3, 2010

Gov. Rendell and his allies and shills that call on higher taxes for businesses like to claim that 70% of Pennsylvania corporations don’t pay…

Media

Read More: Why PA Corporations Don’t Pay Taxes

Taxes & Economy

Presentation: Lessons of Fiscal Responsibility for Pennsylvania

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 3, 2010

Maurice McTigue, Vice President at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, and a former member of the New Zealand Parliament, spoke at a Commonwealth Foundation breakfast yesterday.

Media

Read More: Presentation: Lessons of Fiscal Responsibility for Pennsylvania

Regulation

More Evidence on Privatizing Liquor

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 3, 2010

Don Boudreaux and Julia Williams have an op-ed arguing for privatization of Virginia’s state liquor stores, noting little difference between control and license state in alcohol-related deaths, binge drinking,…

Media

Read More: More Evidence on Privatizing Liquor

Taxes & Economy

How Public-Private Toll Roads are Financed

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 2, 2010

Robert Poole clarifies a number of misconceptions about how toll roads are financed – particularly in the cases of public private partnerships for new projects. This is not a…

Media

Read More: How Public-Private Toll Roads are Financed

Government Accountability

Accurate Information About a Part-Time Legislature

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 2, 2010

Senator Daylin Leach opined in the Post-Gazette over the weekend, defending the legislature he serves in (previously as a House member) against the Grand Jury report calling for…

Media

Read More: Accurate Information About a Part-Time Legislature

Regulation

Rendell: Democrats will Do Well if Voters Ignore the Policy Debate

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 1, 2010

The Wall Street Journal recently published an interview with Gov. Rendell that highlighted Rendell’s analysis of policy issues – the stimulus, Wall Street/bailouts, and Immigration – at least in…

Media

Read More: Rendell: Democrats will Do Well if Voters Ignore the Policy Debate

Government Accountability

On Partisan Legislative Staffers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 28, 2010

One recommendation of the Grand Jury report release this week was that the Pennsylvania General Assembly should move from hiring partisan staff for each caucus to having a centralized…

Media

Read More: On Partisan Legislative Staffers

Public Union Democracy

CF Joins Coalition Opposing Bailout of Union Pensions

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 27, 2010

The Commonwealth Foundation joined with 50 other organizations in opposing using taxpayer funds to bailout private pensions; see the news release from Americans for Tax Reform. Two separate bills,…

Media

Read More: CF Joins Coalition Opposing Bailout of Union Pensions

State Budget

Federal Earmarks Hurt State Economies

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 27, 2010

A new study by three Harvard faculty finds that seniority of a state’s congressional delegation does lead to more earmarks and federal aid for the state, it doesn’t improve…

Media

Read More: Federal Earmarks Hurt State Economies

Regulation

PA House Authorizes New Debt for Corporate Welfare

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 26, 2010

Yesterday, the Pennsylvania House approved legislation – HB 2399 – to allow the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) to borrow and additional $50 to $100 million for additional “economic development…

Media

Read More: PA House Authorizes New Debt for Corporate Welfare

Taxes & Economy

Who are the Tea Party Members?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 26, 2010

Much has been said and made of the Tea Party movement over the past year and especially over the last several months, much by those who have no idea what…

Media

Read More: Who are the Tea Party Members?

Public Union Democracy

Union Boss Honored for Decline in Union Membership

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 25, 2010

Yesterday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a crucial piece of legislation – a resolution honoring our old “friend” Bill George, outgoing head of the PA AFL-CIO. What…

Media

Read More: Union Boss Honored for Decline in Union Membership

Government Accountability

Pennsylvania Budget Presentation

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 24, 2010

Below you can find my latest version of a presentation on the Pennsylvania state budget and economic policy. PA Budget and…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Budget Presentation

Taxes & Economy

Another Commercial Produced by PA Government

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 24, 2010

I caught another TV commercial produced by Pennsylvania state government the other night. This one is intended to scare viewers who are thinking of committing insurance fraud…and make the…

Media

Read More: Another Commercial Produced by PA Government