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
Some Educating Research on Education
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 EducationRegulation
Turzai Bill Would Privatize PA Liquor Stores
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 StoresTaxes & Economy
Talking about PA Taxes
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 TaxesRegulation
Another Plan to Spend Our Way to Prosperity
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 ProsperityGovernment Accountability
What Would a PA Constitutional Convention Include?
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
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-UpGovernment Accountability
Live from PA Leadership Conference (#PALC)
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
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 LawyersEducation
Are Pittsburgh Public Schools Among the Nation’s Best?
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
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 ReprioritizationTaxes & Economy
Happy Tax Freedom Day for Pennsylvania
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 PennsylvaniaPublic Union Democracy
Cost-Saving Ideas for Pennsylvania State Budget
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 BudgetHealth Care
Repeal It? Wouldn’t be the First Time
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 TimeHealth Care
Hate Mail on “Slacker Mandate”
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
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 ResubmitGovernment Accountability
Rendell: Everyone Supports Higher Taxes
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 TaxesHealth Care
Mass: What PA has to Look Forward to on Health Insurance
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 InsuranceEducation
Gov. Rendell Learned His Lesson
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 LessonHealth Care
State Legislators’ Guide to Health Insurance Solution
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 SolutionGovernment Accountability
Four of Six PA Governor Candidates Favor State Constitutional Convention
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 ConventionGovernment Accountability
In Defense of Political Anonymity
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