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

Some Educating Research on Education

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 23, 2010

I’m a little behind on my reading – hence I am going through two editions of the quarterly journal Education Next. Nonetheless, there are a number of interesting and informative…

Media

Read More: Some Educating Research on Education

Regulation

Turzai Bill Would Privatize PA Liquor Stores

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 21, 2010

State Representative Mike Turzai announced legislation today to privatize Pennsylvania’s state liquor stores (i.e. wine and spirit sales). The legislation would auction off 750 retail store licenses and 100…

Media

Read More: Turzai Bill Would Privatize PA Liquor Stores

Taxes & Economy

Talking about PA Taxes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 21, 2010

If you missed our Policies and Principles luncheon with Scott Hodge of the Tax Foundation, Eric Boehm of PA Independent has a write-up of the event, and also recorded…

Media

Read More: Talking about PA Taxes

Regulation

Another Plan to Spend Our Way to Prosperity

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 20, 2010

The PA House Democrats unveiled their “jobs plan” yesterday. In short, it is more of the same failed policies of the past, i.e. those of Ridge-Rendell and…

Media

Read More: Another Plan to Spend Our Way to Prosperity

Government Accountability

What Would a PA Constitutional Convention Include?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 19, 2010

At the PA Leadership Conference, my former colleague, and now Executive Director of the Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania, Joe Sterns touted the need for a state Constitutional Convention. In…

Media

Read More: What Would a PA Constitutional Convention Include?

Government Accountability

PA Leadership Conference Wrap-Up

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 18, 2010

Here are some news stories and blogs from the PA Leadership Conference: William Cinfici’s blog: focusing on Dick Morris’s speech and the panels on polling and government corruption. John…

Media

Read More: PA Leadership Conference Wrap-Up

Government Accountability

Live from PA Leadership Conference (#PALC)

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 16, 2010

For those of you unable to attend the Pennsylvania Leadership Conference this year, most of the sessions will be carried live on PCN TV.  You can also listen…

Media

Read More: Live from PA Leadership Conference (#PALC)

State Budget

PA Budget Deficit Grows by $800 Million, Plus More Fees for Lawyers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 16, 2010

To fill last year’s overspending, Pennsylvania lawmakers and Gov. Rendell drained all of the state’s reserve funds, including the MCare fund. Yesterday, the Commonwealth Court ruled this raid was illegal,…

Media

Read More: PA Budget Deficit Grows by $800 Million, Plus More Fees for Lawyers

Education

Are Pittsburgh Public Schools Among the Nation’s Best?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 15, 2010

A recent national ranking said the Pittsburgh Public Schools were 7th best among large cities in the nation. (HT Grassroots PA). This was quite surprising, as the Pittsburgh…

Media

Read More: Are Pittsburgh Public Schools Among the Nation’s Best?

Taxes & Economy

Transportation Funding Solutions Require Reforms and Reprioritization

  • Matthew Brouillette, Nathan Benefield
  • April 14, 2010

Now that the federal government has rejected the ill-conceived plan to toll I-80 for a third, and supposedly final time, Gov. Rendell and the General Assembly must implement serious solutions…

Commentary

Read More: Transportation Funding Solutions Require Reforms and Reprioritization

Taxes & Economy

Happy Tax Freedom Day for Pennsylvania

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 13, 2010

Today is Tax Freedom Day for Pennsylvania. This day, calculated annually by the Tax Foundation, puts into easily understandable terms how much residents pay in taxes. Federal, state,…

Media

Read More: Happy Tax Freedom Day for Pennsylvania

Public Union Democracy

Cost-Saving Ideas for Pennsylvania State Budget

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 12, 2010

Testimony of Nathan A. Benefield, Director of Policy Research, Commonwealth Foundation to the Pennsylvania Senate Government Management and Cost Study Commission,  April 12, 2010 Good morning; I am Nathan…

Testimony

Read More: Cost-Saving Ideas for Pennsylvania State Budget

Health Care

Repeal It? Wouldn’t be the First Time

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 12, 2010

National Review has a good story of how Kentucky passed health care mandate like those contained in the new federal law, including guaranteed issue and community rating, in 1994.

Media

Read More: Repeal It? Wouldn’t be the First Time

Health Care

Hate Mail on “Slacker Mandate”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 9, 2010

A reader took exception for my use of the term “slacker mandate” to describe laws requiring insurance companies to cover young adults on their parents’ plans up to age 26…

Media

Read More: Hate Mail on “Slacker Mandate”

Taxes & Economy

Grading Wagner’s Infrastructure Agenda: Revise and Resubmit

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 8, 2010

PA Gubernatorial Candidate Jack Wagner put out an a proposal for infrastructure today. Not much in the way of specifics or substance contained within, or even much to write…

Media

Read More: Grading Wagner’s Infrastructure Agenda: Revise and Resubmit

Government Accountability

Rendell: Everyone Supports Higher Taxes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 7, 2010

At his press conference announcing that the lawyers at the Federal Highway Administration were all less intelligent that his staff, based on their decision to reject I-80 tolls, Gov. Rendell…

Media

Read More: Rendell: Everyone Supports Higher Taxes

Health Care

Mass: What PA has to Look Forward to on Health Insurance

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 7, 2010

Massachusetts – with an individual mandate, an insurance exchange, taxpayer subsidies for insurance, and a regulatory board overseeing all health insurance – was seen as the model for health care…

Media

Read More: Mass: What PA has to Look Forward to on Health Insurance

Education

Gov. Rendell Learned His Lesson

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 6, 2010

Last year, Gov. Rendell went on a bus tour across Pennsylvania, at taxpayer expense, to lobby for more education spending. Rendell was…

Media

Read More: Gov. Rendell Learned His Lesson

Health Care

State Legislators’ Guide to Health Insurance Solution

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 5, 2010

Council for Affordable Health Insurance and ALEC have released their 2010 State Legislators Guide to Health Insurance Solutions. Here is a PDF version of the full report…

Media

Read More: State Legislators’ Guide to Health Insurance Solution

Government Accountability

Four of Six PA Governor Candidates Favor State Constitutional Convention

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 5, 2010

At a forum for Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidates last week, Tom Corbett, Jack Wagner, Joe Hoeffel, and Dan Onorato all express some support for a state constitutional convention, at least…

Media

Read More: Four of Six PA Governor Candidates Favor State Constitutional Convention

Government Accountability

In Defense of Political Anonymity

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 2, 2010

Former FEC Chief Bradley Smith has a good article in the winter issue of City Journal on the problems with campaign finance disclosure. Imagine if the George W.

Media

Read More: In Defense of Political Anonymity