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.”
State Budget
Yes, We Really Do Mistrust Lawmakers
Gerald Prante of the Tax Foundation raises a philosophical question about state spending limits. Namely he wonders, if we don’t trust how legislators spend money now – a…
Media
Read More: Yes, We Really Do Mistrust LawmakersGovernment Accountability
Auditor General Says No-Bid Contracts are Costing State Taxpayers
Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner issued a scathing rebuke of the Rendell administration’s use of no-bid contracts, specifically in relation to over a half-billion dollars given to Deloitte for…
Media
Read More: Auditor General Says No-Bid Contracts are Costing State TaxpayersTaxes & Economy
ACORN Sting in Philadelphia
BigGovernment.com has released their video from Philadelphia’s ACORN office from July 24. As in other videos, ACORN Philadelphia provided advice to the fake pimp and prostitute for what sort…
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Read More: ACORN Sting in PhiladelphiaState Budget
PA Business Survey: Bad Budget Deal
The Lincoln Institute released its Fall Business Climate Survey for Pennsylvania (mostly surveying small business owners). Click here for results and here for a summary of findings. Not…
Media
Read More: PA Business Survey: Bad Budget DealGovernment Accountability
Common Sense on Legislative Size
Paul Jacob’s latest “Common Sense” deals with the size of the Pennsylvania Legislature. Jacob advises: [D]on’t cut the size of the legislature. But by all means cut the…
Media
Read More: Common Sense on Legislative SizePublic Union Democracy
Political Power of Public Sector Unions
The Weekly Standard has a good piece on the growing political power of public sector unions, with a short history lesson, and many of the consequences (e.g.
Media
Read More: Political Power of Public Sector UnionsTaxes & Economy
Map of State and Local Sales Tax Rates
The Tax Foundation has a new map showing sales tax rates by state – including both the state rate and the average local rate. With the local included, Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Map of State and Local Sales Tax RatesHealth Care
Health Care “Facts” Disputed
Michael Cannon and Ramesh Ponnuru have an editorial challenging the assertions of Obama on health care. The article came out a few weeks ago, and specifically cites claims made…
Media
Read More: Health Care “Facts” DisputedState Budget
Facts About Spending Limits from Colorado
Voters in Maine will have the opportunity to vote on a referendum limiting state spending and tax increases. The Maine Heritage Policy Center released a new paper offering…
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Read More: Facts About Spending Limits from ColoradoTaxes & Economy
Job Losses in Pennsylvania Counties
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released data on county employment and wages today. It is a little dated (March 2009) relative to national data, but does offer a profile…
Media
Read More: Job Losses in Pennsylvania CountiesHealth Care
Canadians Speak Out Against Government-Run Health Care
Our friends at the Mackinac Center have a series of videos on Canadian health care with regular Canadians discussing the problems with government-run health coverage. (HT to Carpe…
Media
Read More: Canadians Speak Out Against Government-Run Health CareState Budget
Did PA Really Need Higher Taxes?
Yesterday, blogger for the Time Herald/State Senator Daylin Leach attacked ATR’s no-tax pledge and Sen. Orie for signing it a few years ago before voting to increase taxes…
Media
Read More: Did PA Really Need Higher Taxes?Regulation
Pensions and Skyrocketing Taxes
Ethan Demme has a good synopsis of the coming crisis in state and local pensions in Pennnsylvania, and why this will drive up taxes, from the RE Harper Economic…
Media
Read More: Pensions and Skyrocketing TaxesTaxes & Economy
New Study Highlights Flaws in I-80 Tolling Plan
A new study on the impact of tolling I-80 in Pennsylvania by Grove City College economist Tracy Miller highlights several flaws in the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s plan to toll…
Media
Read More: New Study Highlights Flaws in I-80 Tolling PlanHealth Care
CF Joins 32 State Think Tanks in Offering Alternative, Patient-Centered Reforms
The Commonwealth Foundation joined leaders from 32 other state think tanks in announcing a “patient-centered” plan for health care reform. In response to national calls for an alternative to Obamacare…
Media
Read More: CF Joins 32 State Think Tanks in Offering Alternative, Patient-Centered ReformsGovernment Accountability
Wither Spending Transparency in PA?
Over the past few years, and throughout the state budget debate, the Commonwealth Foundation and other state and national groups have called for state…
Media
Read More: Wither Spending Transparency in PA?Health Care
Competition in Health Care would Lower Costs
A report by Dr. Sven Larson from the Center for Freedom and Prosperity Foundation examines policies to remove government barriers and restore competition to the market for individual…
Media
Read More: Competition in Health Care would Lower CostsTaxes & Economy
Breakdown of State and Local Government Tax Revenues
The Tax Foundation has a new report profiling the percentage of state and local government tax revenues by source for each state. Here is how Pennsylvania compares (getting a…
Media
Read More: Breakdown of State and Local Government Tax RevenuesRegulation
Washington Post Highlights Pension Crisis
The Washington Post ran an article Sunday on how market losses have put state and local government pension plans seriously in the red. The article makes mention of the…
Media
Read More: Washington Post Highlights Pension CrisisGovernment Accountability
Pennsylvanians Divided by Soda
Pennsylvanians seem divided by geography on a key debate. No, not the state budget, or national health care (well, those too), but on whether it should be called ‘Soda’, or…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvanians Divided by SodaEducation
Is Preschool for All a Good Idea?
Chester Finn of the Fordham Foundation has a good article in the latest Education Next on the movement for “preschool for all.” Finn is generally supportive of government…
Media
Read More: Is Preschool for All a Good Idea?