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.”
Government Accountability
State Office Deal Highlights Rendell’s Cronyism
The Pittsburgh Tribune Review has a story about the state paying to lease office space, even though they’ve closed the office. But the more interesting part of the is…
Media
Read More: State Office Deal Highlights Rendell’s CronyismTaxes & Economy
Who are the Tea Partiers?
The Sam Adams Alliance has a new report out presenting findings from a survey of 50 “tea party movement” leaders. Among the more interesting findings 46.9 percent were uninvolved…
Media
Read More: Who are the Tea Partiers?Taxes & Economy
About 25% of Highway Fund Doesn’t go to Highways
Robert Poole has a Washington Times article on how federal gas tax money in the “highway fund” is often diverted to other political purposes. Today, the federal role…
Media
Read More: About 25% of Highway Fund Doesn’t go to HighwaysPublic Union Democracy
Teacher Unions Bankrupting the State
The pension crisis has been looming large throughout the state, yet pension reform proposals in Pennsylvania have been met with protests by school employees unions. The Pottstown…
Media
Read More: Teacher Unions Bankrupting the StateRegulation
Rendell’s Pension “Fix” Merely Delays Costs
With his 2010-11 budget, Gov. Rendell got around to addressing the looming pension crisis. However, his proposed “fix” – re-amortizing the liabilities over 30 years, then phasing in the…
Media
Read More: Rendell’s Pension “Fix” Merely Delays CostsTaxes & Economy
Transportation Industry Misleads on I-80 Tolling
A couple of recent editorials in favor of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s plan to toll I-80 – both by transportation industry insiders – gives some misleading info. Peter Javsicas of…
Media
Read More: Transportation Industry Misleads on I-80 TollingState Budget
Tax Foundation Analysis of Rendell’s Tax Proposals
Joe Henchman of the Tax Foundation has put together a Fical Fact looking at Gov. Rendell’s tax increases in the proposed Pennsylvania state budget. Here is the quick overview:…
Media
Read More: Tax Foundation Analysis of Rendell’s Tax ProposalsTaxes & Economy
NTU Congressional Ratings for Pennsylvania
The National Taxpayers Union released their annual Congressional report card (for votes in 2009). Here are the votes they rated. NTU’s rating is based on “every roll call…
Media
Read More: NTU Congressional Ratings for PennsylvaniaRegulation
What the Heck is Net Neutrality?
Reason TV attempts to explain the issue of net neutrality in a new video. …
Media
Read More: What the Heck is Net Neutrality?Government Accountability
Who’s Blogging About CF?
Here are some recent updates from various blogs mentioning Commonwealth Foundation, or giving us some good linkage: Redstate notes our call for an independent investigation into Penn State professor…
Media
Read More: Who’s Blogging About CF?Regulation
Property Tax Relief Not as Awesome as Rendell Says
Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner put out another report that should embarrass the Rendell administration, this one one the claimed benefits of property tax relief. (Full report in…
Media
Read More: Property Tax Relief Not as Awesome as Rendell SaysTaxes & Economy
How Dumb is the Jobs Bill?
So the logic behind Stimulus 3, or the so-called “jobs bill” is that the first stimulus (the Bush stimulus of 2008, predicated largely on tax rebates) worked so well the…
Media
Read More: How Dumb is the Jobs Bill?Regulation
The Trillion Dollar (and then some) Pension Gap
The Pew Report on state pensions, finding a $1 trillion unfunded liability nationally, has already received a great deal of attention, so here are just some brief highlights for…
Media
Read More: The Trillion Dollar (and then some) Pension GapGovernment Accountability
PA Lawmakers Use Per Diems to Buy Houses
I have often remarked that the exorbitant costs of Pennsylvania legislators’ per diems (see Tribune Review and ABC 27 stories) – that they receive to pay for food…
Media
Read More: PA Lawmakers Use Per Diems to Buy HousesGovernment Accountability
Lower Legislative Pay = Better Government
A new study of state legislative pay and party competition in the American Political Science Review, finds that, in addition to greater party competition, modest pay for legislators leads…
Media
Read More: Lower Legislative Pay = Better GovernmentTaxes & Economy
Did the Stimulus Raise Unemployment?
Alan Reynolds takes a nuanced approach to where stimulus funding went, and why it didn’t “create jobs” or increase GDP, and probably increased unemployment: [T]he GDP report clearly…
Media
Read More: Did the Stimulus Raise Unemployment?Regulation
How Rendell’s Cigar Tax Will Hurt Pennsylvania Businesses
For the second year in a row, Gov. Rendell has proposed a tax on cigars and smokeless tobacco, assuming this will have no impact on jobs or the economy. (As…
Media
Read More: How Rendell’s Cigar Tax Will Hurt Pennsylvania BusinessesRegulation
Pension Obligation Bonds: Worst Idea Ever
Rick Dreyfuss has a new article for the Mackinac Center in Michigan, where lawmakers are floating the idea of Pension Obligation Bonds to help fill their pension gap. Of…
Media
Read More: Pension Obligation Bonds: Worst Idea EverState Budget
Will the PA “Cost Cutting Commission” Cut Costs?
The Pennsylvania Senate’s new Cost Study Commission met for the first time on Friday, discussing the cost of the state fleet – which currently maintains 16,000 vehicles, half of…
Media
Read More: Will the PA “Cost Cutting Commission” Cut Costs?Criminal Justice Reform
New PA Task Force on Prison Spending
Following testimony that inmates might riot if the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections didn’t a funding increase, the state House Appropriations Committee decided to create a task force to…
Media
Read More: New PA Task Force on Prison SpendingGovernment Accountability
Where has PA Stimulus Money Gone?
I’ve gotten a couple requests for information on where Pennsylvania’s stimulus money has gone. The Pennsylvania stimulus site is here. …
Media
Read More: Where has PA Stimulus Money Gone?