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.”
Taxes & 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?Taxes & Economy
Do Voters Want Higher Taxes?
On his blog with the Times Herald, state Senator Daylin Leach makes a couple of absurd claims. First he suggests that residents are more concerned about potholes than high…
Media
Read More: Do Voters Want Higher Taxes?Taxes & Economy
Pennsylvania Gets Another Poor Grade for Business Climate
CNBC has compiled a ranking of “America’s Best States for Business.” Pennsylvania ranks 33rd overall on their index, and gets very poor marks on categories “Cost of Business”, “Workforce”,…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Gets Another Poor Grade for Business ClimateHealth Care
Obama Surtax Effects in Pennsylvania
The Heritage Foundation has the breakdown of how many Pennsylvania residents and small businesses would be effected by the “surtax” to pay for nationalize health care (HT to…
Media
Read More: Obama Surtax Effects in PennsylvaniaState Budget
Pennsylvania Budget Proposals Compared
Here are some resources for comparing the various Pennsylvania state budget proposals. Pennsylvania House Democrats Budget, By the Numbers PA House GOP Budget by the Numbers PA…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Budget Proposals ComparedHealth Care
Coalition of Groups Against Government-Run Health Care
The Commonwealth Foundation has joined a coalition of national organizations in sendinga letter to members of Congress opposing government-run health insurance, individual or employer mandates, and government rationing of…
Media
Read More: Coalition of Groups Against Government-Run Health CareHealth Care
ObamaCare vs. Free Market Solutions
The Heritage Foundation has a new analysis of the US House Democrats’ health care bill, showing that over 80 million people would lose their private insurance, and costs for…
Media
Read More: ObamaCare vs. Free Market SolutionsState Budget
How Much Did Pennsylvania Spend Last Year?
Here is a simple question: Given we have closed the books on last year’s state budget for three weeks, how much did Pennsylvania spend last year? Unfortunately, the answer isn’t…
Media
Read More: How Much Did Pennsylvania Spend Last Year?State Budget
Good Pennsylvania State Budget Questions I Can’t Answer
A reader sent us this, which is an excellent question about how many state worker will really have to be laid off: I have heard a lot of…
Media
Read More: Good Pennsylvania State Budget Questions I Can’t Answer
CF in the Blogosphere
Here is a roundup of recent blogs linking to the Commonwealth Foundation in one way or another. Pro-Life PA links to us linking to a video demonstration of the…
Media
Read More: CF in the BlogosphereGovernment Accountability
Government Ethics: Alaska vs. Pennsylvania
Amanda Carpenter writes about a report that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin may be cited (though no penalties would be attached) for ethics violations for … wait for it ……
Media
Read More: Government Ethics: Alaska vs. Pennsylvania