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
What the Public Thinks of Public Schools
Paul Peterson has a good column in today’s Wall Street Journal about the public’s perception of public schools — they are (correctly in Peterson’s judgment) unerwhelmed by school’s performance,…
Media
Read More: What the Public Thinks of Public SchoolsHealth Care
Whoops, We Were Wrong…
One of our goals at the Commonwealth Foundation is to predict the effect of proposed public policies. Most of the time, we are proven correct, and humbly announce, "We told…
Commentary
Read More: Whoops, We Were Wrong…
Let’s Just Buy Everyone Flying Cars
The Patriot News reports on an insanely bad idea – taxpayer funded buses, then trains, from Lebanon to Hershey to Harrisburg. First the study, funded by the transportation industry…
Media
Read More: Let’s Just Buy Everyone Flying CarsGovernment Accountability
Pennsylvania Has Most Legislative Staff
Brad Bumsted had an article over the weekend on Pennsylvania’s largest in the nation legislative staff and, of course, the high cost of keeping that staff. The number of…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Has Most Legislative StaffRegulation
Making a Bad Bill Worse
Following protests by policy and firefighter unions, the Pennsylvania House will delay a vote on HB 1828, the so-called municipal pension reform bill, likely until Thursday. House…
Media
Read More: Making a Bad Bill Worse
Tea Party Express Coming to Pennsylvania
The Tea Party Express will be hitting several cities in Pennsylvania this week, before heading to DC on September 12. The bus tour will be holding events in the…
Media
Read More: Tea Party Express Coming to PennsylvaniaRegulation
Economic Development Subsidies Fail
Today’s Wall Street Journal writes on the failure of taxpayer-funded “economic development” grants – i.e. corporate welfare – in the state of Michigan. The article relies heavily on…
Media
Read More: Economic Development Subsidies FailEducation
No Correlation Between PA School District Spending and Performance
Tracie Mauriello of the Post-Gazette raises a source of dispute, via Twitter, on education spending vs. performance: pgPoliTweets: Rendell: Ed achievement is correlated to ed spending.
Media
Read More: No Correlation Between PA School District Spending and PerformanceEducation
What Does This Blog Post Inspire You to Do?
When I first heard of President Obama’s planned speech to all students, I didn’t think much of it. I imagined he’d say things like “Don’t do drugs! Stay in school!”…
Media
Read More: What Does This Blog Post Inspire You to Do?Regulation
Counting All Pennsylvania State Employees
A state lawmaker sent along a Patriot New article, in which Gov. Rendell cites the relatively low number of Pennsylvania state employees compared to other states, to find out…
Media
Read More: Counting All Pennsylvania State EmployeesState Budget
Pennsylvania August Revenues Come in a Bit Short
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue released the preliminary collections report for August – the state collected just over $1.6 billion, $19 million (or 1%) below estimate. The consensus…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania August Revenues Come in a Bit ShortHealth Care
Is Individual Mandate Worse than “Public Option”?
Cato’s Michael Cannon has a commentary on the effects of an individual mandate to buy health insurance. His poster child is chief spokesman critic of Obama’s health care proposals,…
Media
Read More: Is Individual Mandate Worse than “Public Option”?State Budget
Call to Action: Budget Must Keep PA Competitive
The Pennsylvania Prosperity Project has a new action alert on the Pennsylvania budget, with a form to contact your legislators and ask lawmakers to “focus on making Pennsylvania competitive…
Media
Read More: Call to Action: Budget Must Keep PA CompetitiveHealth Care
What’s Wrong with Medicare
Defenders of national health care proposals try to make the claim – in response to critics – that government-run health care is pretty good, citing Medicare (and Medicaid). So what’s…
Media
Read More: What’s Wrong with MedicareGovernment Accountability
Baby Boomers Dominate in State Legislatures
Interesting, if trivial analysis from NCSL on the age of state legislators. Only 4% of legislators nationally are under age 34. They also have a tool with demographic…
Media
Read More: Baby Boomers Dominate in State LegislaturesRegulation
Philadelphia Sales Tax Increase Bad for Business and for Pennsylvania
Chris Freind writes on how the proposed increase of Philadelphia’s sales tax from 7% to 8% (6% state rate, local rate to double from 1 to 2%) will harm…
Media
Read More: Philadelphia Sales Tax Increase Bad for Business and for PennsylvaniaEducation
2009 SAT Scores by State
EDITORS NOTE: Click here for the 2014 SAT Scores by state The College Board has released data on 2009 SAT Scores. I’ve compiled the data into a spreadsheet of…
Media
Read More: 2009 SAT Scores by StateEducation
School District Makes Due Without Tax Hike
ABC 27 has a story about East Pennsboro School District – the first stop on Gov. Rendell’s bus tour – using fiscal restraint, not higher taxes, to deal…
Media
Read More: School District Makes Due Without Tax HikeHealth Care
Medicare’s Administrative Costs vs. Private Insurance
One of the myths is that Medicare has lower administrative costs than private insurance, and thus is the model for efficient health coverage. (This was an argument made by a…
Media
Read More: Medicare’s Administrative Costs vs. Private InsuranceTaxes & Economy
Should Existing Interstate Highways Be Tolled?
Interesting question posed by National Journal on tolling of existing freeways, with particular focus on tolling I-80 in Pennsylvania, offering several experts the opportunity to respond. Pennsylvania Congressman Glenn…
Media
Read More: Should Existing Interstate Highways Be Tolled?
High Speed Rail Proposal Just Another Way to Waste Taxpayer Dollars
The Patriot News highlights Pennsylvania’s latest request of $28.2 million for high-speed rail projects from the federal stimulus. Here is our recent commentary by Randal O’Toole on…
Media
Read More: High Speed Rail Proposal Just Another Way to Waste Taxpayer Dollars