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

Is Choice Harming Public Schools?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 2, 2010

The Philadelphia Inquirer ran a story this week about the number of students (314,000 over nine years) served by Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC provides tax…

Media

Read More: Is Choice Harming Public Schools?

Health Care

Repeal Obamacare Ad in Erie Times-News

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 1, 2010

The Manufacturer and Business Assocation, along with a whole slew of businesses in the Erie area, ran a full page add in the Erie Times-News calling for lawmakers to…

Media

Read More: Repeal Obamacare Ad in Erie Times-News

Education

Operation Restore Launched to Preserve School Choice in PA

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 31, 2010

The REACH Alliance launched Operation Restore, a campaign to restore the funding for Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program to $75 million.  The EITC, which before…

Media

Read More: Operation Restore Launched to Preserve School Choice in PA

Health Care

How the Health Care Law is Financed

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 31, 2010

The Tax Foundation has a useful chart showing how the health care law is financed over the next 10 years (keep in mind most of the taxes don’t kick…

Media

Read More: How the Health Care Law is Financed

State Budget

Debating Taxes on Services

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 30, 2010

The New York Times has a piece on expanding state sales taxes to cover many services, with a specific focus on Pennsylvania. The articles focus primarily on the “modernization”…

Media

Read More: Debating Taxes on Services

Health Care

Who the Health Cares About the Constitution?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 30, 2010

Constitutional questions have dogged the health care bill since its introduction.  But rather than address these issues head on, supporters of the legislation have shrugged them off.  Speaker Nancy Pelosi,…

Commentary

Read More: Who the Health Cares About the Constitution?

Taxes & Economy

Which Sectors are Adding Jobs in Pennsylvania?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 30, 2010

As reported earlier, Pennsylvania lost an estimated 16,000 jobs in February.  Over the past year, the total jobs lost in the state adds to up about 141,000 (272,000 over…

Media

Read More: Which Sectors are Adding Jobs in Pennsylvania?

Education

Rhetoric vs. Reality on Higher Ed

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 29, 2010

I got an email alert from Student PIRGs with the lead in, “College just got less expensive.” Really, that happened? Did anyone notice? Uh no. What they meant is…

Media

Read More: Rhetoric vs. Reality on Higher Ed

Education

Some Facts About School Choice for Joe Hoeffel

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 26, 2010

In the Democrat contest for Pennsylvania Governor, Joe Hoeffel came out swinging, attacking Anthony Williams for supporting school choice. Apparently, Hoeffel thinks the…

Media

Read More: Some Facts About School Choice for Joe Hoeffel

Regulation

Slots vs. Lottery

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 26, 2010

PA Independent summarizes a recent Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee report that concludes slot machine gambling has not undermined lottery sales. I…

Media

Read More: Slots vs. Lottery

Regulation

Illinois Passes Pension Reductions

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 25, 2010

While the Pennsylvania General Assembly is holding hearings to assess our public pension crisis is really bad, or really-really bad, Illinois is acting to reduce state pension benefits…

Media

Read More: Illinois Passes Pension Reductions

Health Care

Health Care Reform: “Change” Is Not Necessarily Good

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 25, 2010

Economist Bill Dunkelberg gives his criticism of the health care bill signed this past week. Dr. Dunkelberg will keynote the upcoming RE Harper Economic Forums – April 26…

Media

Read More: Health Care Reform: “Change” Is Not Necessarily Good

Taxes & Economy

What the Heck is a Green Job Anyway?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 25, 2010

Recently, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics requested comments on how it should try to measure “green jobs.”  Here are the comments I offered: I am writing in…

Media

Read More: What the Heck is a Green Job Anyway?

Government Accountability

Evans Threatens to De-Fund PA Attorney General in Tiff

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 24, 2010

In a Democratic response to Attorney General Tom Corbett’s decision to join 13 other states in filing a lawsuit against the Obama health care legislation, House Appropriations Chairman Dwight Evans…

Media

Read More: Evans Threatens to De-Fund PA Attorney General in Tiff

Health Care

Georgia Pushing Interstate Competition in Health Insurance

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 24, 2010

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue is pushing legislation that would allow residents of the Peach State to purchase insurance across state lines, unilaterally giving residents permission to buy coverage approved…

Media

Read More: Georgia Pushing Interstate Competition in Health Insurance

Taxes & Economy

Do These Guys Know What a “Tax Break” Is?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 24, 2010

Three Pennsylvania pro-tax, pro-government subsidy of special interest groups issued a statement calling for state taxes on natural gas extraction and on cigars and smokeless tobacco. There statements suggest…

Media

Read More: Do These Guys Know What a “Tax Break” Is?

Health Care

Gov. Rendell Implies Attorneys Generals are Idiots

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 23, 2010

Commenting about Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett joining AGs in 10 other states in a lawsuit against the federal health care bill, Gov. Rendell had this to say…

Media

Read More: Gov. Rendell Implies Attorneys Generals are Idiots

Health Care

Will the Health Care Bill Hold Up?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 22, 2010

Ronald Reagan once said, “Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program.” Last night’s vote on health care reform was heralded by supporter as a “historic vote” which will…

Media

Read More: Will the Health Care Bill Hold Up?

Health Care

Who Got Bribed on Health Care Vote?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 21, 2010

Eric Telford (Twitter handle JoeTaxpayer) has started to round up Congressmen who change their health care vote after getting big grants for their districts: …

Media

Read More: Who Got Bribed on Health Care Vote?

Taxes & Economy

Can Harrisburg Learn from Reason?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 19, 2010

The Economist has a story on the city of Harrisburg’s fiscal mess, which has been years in the making. Thanks to an irresponsible city council, Harrisburg is still…

Media

Read More: Can Harrisburg Learn from Reason?

Government Accountability

The Case for a Part-Time Legislature

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 19, 2010

There is a direct link between our full-time legislature and our state economy.  A Commonwealth Foundation analysis shows a strong connection between legislative professionalization and higher spending per capita, a…

Commentary

Read More: The Case for a Part-Time Legislature