Nathan Benefield

Nathan Benefield

Chief Policy Officer

Nathan (Nate) Benefield is the Chief Policy Officer at the Commonwealth Foundation.

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.”

Education

Will Government-Run Preschool Help Fight Al-Qaeda?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 3, 2009

The Patriot News has a blurb about former generals saying that government-run preschool will help improve the military, and that if the Pennsylvania Senate budget passes, the terrorists…

Media

Read More: Will Government-Run Preschool Help Fight Al-Qaeda?

Government Accountability

Pennsylvanians Deserve Open Budget Debate

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Nathan Benefield
  • June 3, 2009

With the approach of June 30th and the end of the state’s fiscal year comes the annual argument in Harrisburg over Pennsylvania’s budget.  With Senate Republicans having passed a spending…

Commentary

Read More: Pennsylvanians Deserve Open Budget Debate

Taxes & Economy

Rendell Budget 2.0

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 3, 2009

In remarks yesterday, Gov. Rendell announced that he will cut at least $400 million from his earlier spending plan.  He then went on to berate himself for being…

Media

Read More: Rendell Budget 2.0

Health Care

Still Looking for Free Market Health Care Proposals

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 2, 2009

Ryan Ellis has a good post over on RedState on the Congressional Republican health care plan (see previous post here) and offering much more serious proposal for transforming…

Media

Read More: Still Looking for Free Market Health Care Proposals

Government Accountability

PA Senate Passes Spending Transparency

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 2, 2009

Legislation which we have discussed many times on this blog (see previous posts here and here, and Elizabeth Bryan’s commentary here) to create an online database…

Media

Read More: PA Senate Passes Spending Transparency

Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania Budget Deficit Reaches $2.8 Billion

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 1, 2009

The latest report from the PA Department of Revenue, through the end of May, indicate that Pennsylvania’s General Fund revenue shortfall has now reached $2.8 billion for the fiscal…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Budget Deficit Reaches $2.8 Billion

Regulation

Another Bad Pension Proposal

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 1, 2009

The Post-Gazette has a story of another reform to municipal pension plans. The plan would be to put all new municipal employees into a statewide, defined benefit pension system.

Media

Read More: Another Bad Pension Proposal

Government Accountability

Last Chance to Enter Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 1, 2009

The deadline for entering our Please, No More Taxes! video contest is midnight tonight (June 1).  There are $4,000 in prizes available for the top 3 entries. Contest rules…

Media

Read More: Last Chance to Enter Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest

Taxes & Economy

June 9th Taxpayers’ Protest

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 29, 2009

Rep. Daryl Metcalfe is helping to coordinate a “Taxpayer’s Protest” on June 9 in Harrisburg. All taxpayers are encouraged to come down to the state…

Media

Read More: June 9th Taxpayers’ Protest

Government Accountability

Transparency Needed in Pennsylvania Budget Debate

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 29, 2009

ABC 27 has a news story and video on proposed legislation that would create an online portal and database of state spending in Pennsylvania. What is most disappointing…

Media

Read More: Transparency Needed in Pennsylvania Budget Debate

Regulation

Will Tourism Collapse Without Taxpayer Subsidies?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 29, 2009

Letter sent from the Commonwealth Foundation to Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of Tourism Mickey Rowley   Dear Mr. Rowley: I am writing to respond to the Pennsylvania Tourism Office's recent…

Media

Read More: Will Tourism Collapse Without Taxpayer Subsidies?

Education

Teachers Union vs. Taxpayers and Students (Draft)

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 28, 2009

The Blackhawk Education Association sparked ligation costing taxpayers in the Blackhawk School District over $160,000. The district was paying tutors the rate of substitute teachers, but the union had…

Media

Read More: Teachers Union vs. Taxpayers and Students (Draft)

Education

Philadelphia Limits Choices for School Children

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 28, 2009

Brad Vasoli has a troubling article in The Bulletin about how the Philadelphia School District is trying to limit the enrollment of charter schools in the district. District officials…

Media

Read More: Philadelphia Limits Choices for School Children

Taxes & Economy

Will Government Motors be a Partisan Operation?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 28, 2009

With the federal government taking control over Chrysler and GM, ill-conceived ideas are sure to ensue.   The planned restructuring of GM (soon be renamed Government Motors?) is one…

Media

Read More: Will Government Motors be a Partisan Operation?

Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to Reapply to Toll I-80

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 27, 2009

Tom Barnes in the Post-Gazette has a story on how some Pennsylvania lawmakers, who hail from nowhere near the I-80 corridor, want the Turnpike Commission to reapply to toll…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to Reapply to Toll I-80

Health Care

Will Obama Embrace Real Health Care Reform?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 27, 2009

Congressional Republicans unveiled an alternative health care reform proposal last week.  Grace Marie Turner and Joseph Antos offer a glowing review of the plan. John Goodman offers a…

Media

Read More: Will Obama Embrace Real Health Care Reform?

Taxes & Economy

Lose-Lose on Biofuels?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 27, 2009

The American Magazine features an update on misguided ethanol and biofuel mandates, from a recent EPA report: While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) analysis suggests that the switch…

Media

Read More: Lose-Lose on Biofuels?

Taxes & Economy

“Taxing the Rich” Won’t Help Pennsylvania

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 26, 2009

The Wall Street Journal has an article today on how Maryland’s higher taxes on “the rich” drove millionaires to move to other states.  Last week, the NY Post had…

Media

Read More: “Taxing the Rich” Won’t Help Pennsylvania

State Budget

Need to Review Speed Limits in PA?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 26, 2009

The Tribune Review has an article today noting that Pennsylvania is one of few states, and the only one of our neighbors, that doesn’t have a speed limit greater…

Media

Read More: Need to Review Speed Limits in PA?

Government Accountability

Texting While Driving: Everyone Does It, So Make it Illegal

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 22, 2009

A new study finds that 25% of individuals admit they send text messages while driving.  Astonishingly, however, 83% want to make it illegal to do so. I am…

Media

Read More: Texting While Driving: Everyone Does It, So Make it Illegal

Government Accountability

Conservative Intellectualism vs. Populism

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 21, 2009

The discussion between Jerry Taylor, Dan Mitchell, and Brink Lindsey on the Cato Institute blog (and NRO’s Corner) on Rush Limbaugh, tea parties, and conservative thought have been…

Media

Read More: Conservative Intellectualism vs. Populism