Nathan Benefield
Chief Policy Officer
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 Chief Policy Officer , 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.”
Regulation
Philadelphia Needs Neither Higher Taxes nor Generational Theft
The Pennsylvania House yesterday passed a bill that would allow Philadelphia to raise its sales tax another percentage point and to defer it pension payments for city employees further…
Media
Read More: Philadelphia Needs Neither Higher Taxes nor Generational TheftState Budget
Ed Rendell Demands More Taxes
At a press conference yesterday, Gov. Rendell says he will “compromise” on the budget – so long as he gets $1.6 billion in new revenue. That he, he needs…
Media
Read More: Ed Rendell Demands More TaxesState Budget
State of Pennsylvania has 5,000 Vacant Positions
In response to a recent question posed us – about how many actual workers vs. unfilled positions Gov. Rendell would have to eliminate when he talks about cutting state…
Media
Read More: State of Pennsylvania has 5,000 Vacant PositionsState Budget
What Do July Revenue Collections Mean?
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue released the July 2009 revenue collections yesterday. The state collected $1.65 billion in General Fund revenue in July. Normally, this report would include how…
Media
Read More: What Do July Revenue Collections Mean?State Budget
States Have Only Themselves to Blame for Fiscal Mess
Steve Chapman writes on Reason.com that there’s nothing surprising about the crises in state budgets though it apparently caught many governors and legislators by surprise. States dramatically increased spending…
Media
Read More: States Have Only Themselves to Blame for Fiscal MessState Budget
What the #$#! is Going on with Pennsylvania Budget?
If you are following any of the proceedings on the Pennsylvania budget – such as #pabudget on Twitter – you will find a lot has changed with nothing really…
Media
Read More: What the #$#! is Going on with Pennsylvania Budget?Health Care
The Two Big Lies of Health Care “Reform”
Here are a couple of good readings on health care policy: The Hoover Institution has a “second opinion” with ten reasons why health care in the U.S. is…
Media
Read More: The Two Big Lies of Health Care “Reform”Taxes & Economy
Where Were These Guys a Few Months Ago?
At a recent town-hall meeting, Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said he had to ‘hold my nose’ over bailouts. I wish he had expressed some of those misgivings when…
Media
Read More: Where Were These Guys a Few Months Ago?Health Care
Reasons ObamaCare Is Wrong for America
The Heritage Foundation has, on their new health care website, the Top 10 Reasons Obamacare Is Wrong for America, starting with the fact that individuals would lose their current…
Media
Read More: Reasons ObamaCare Is Wrong for AmericaEducation
How States Can “Race to the Top” on Education Performance
The Wall Street Journal has an excellent editorial on education funding and performance, as well as the unions’ take on the “race to the top” initiative: All…
Media
Read More: How States Can “Race to the Top” on Education PerformanceTaxes & Economy
Federal Spending by the Numbers
The Heritage Foundation has a new report on federal spending. The short document includes lots of good tables and charts showing the effects of Bush-Obama spending increases.
Media
Read More: Federal Spending by the NumbersRegulation
Rendell, Harley Davidson, and Lando
In Empire Strikes Back, Lando Calrissian tells his old friend Han Solo that “I’ve just made a deal that will keep the Empire out of here forever” before leading…
Media
Read More: Rendell, Harley Davidson, and LandoEducation
Achievement and Education Spending
Jake Haulk of the Allegheny Institute offers some commentary on the much celebrated improvement in Pennsylvania test scores: It is also quite interesting to note the year…
Media
Read More: Achievement and Education Spending
Blogging About CF
Here are some recent coverage of the Commonwealth Foundation from blogs: Gunservatively looks at the five-year record of legalized gambling in Pennsylvania. PA Family Institute links to the…
Media
Read More: Blogging About CFGovernment Accountability
Pennsylvania Has 6th Best Stimulus Website
Good Jobs First has released state stimulus website rankings for all states. Unlike other state rankings, Pennsylvania does well, relative to its peers. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania gets 50…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Has 6th Best Stimulus WebsiteRegulation
States Face $558 Billion in Unfunded Retiree Health Care Liabilities
Reason’s Out of Control blog notes a new report detailing that states cumulatively face $558 billion in unfunded retiree health care benefits. Pennsylvania doesn’t seem to be in…
Media
Read More: States Face $558 Billion in Unfunded Retiree Health Care LiabilitiesState Budget
PA Senate Democrats Still Playing Games
Yesterday, the Senate rejected a bill to fund the University of Pittsburgh by a 30-20 vote. (It was actually 30 ‘yes’ votes, but the bill needed 2/3 majority to pass. …
Media
Read More: PA Senate Democrats Still Playing GamesState Budget
Post-Gazette’s Nonsense on Pennsylvania Budget
The Pittsburgh Post Gazette editorial board cribs Gov. Rendell’s talking points on the state budget, and pastes it into an editorial. They state that lawmakers should not “balance…
Media
Read More: Post-Gazette’s Nonsense on Pennsylvania BudgetEducation
The Undelivered Promises of Government Preschool
The Sunbury Daily Item features a recent guest editorial claiming that taxpayer funded preschool, such as Gov. Rendell’s PreK Counts, will have long-term savings by reducing crime and improving…
Media
Read More: The Undelivered Promises of Government PreschoolEducation
Is Our Kids Learning Better Now?
Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Education released the PSSA results (the state standardized tests), and celebrated the results. Of course, the Rendell administration wants to take credit for the…
Media
Read More: Is Our Kids Learning Better Now?Education
Who’s For the Children?
In the television comedy The Office, dim-witted boss Michael Scott remarks that he likes giving presents because they are “like this tangible thing that you can point to and say…
Commentary
Read More: Who’s For the Children?