Nathan Benefield

Nathan Benefield

Senior Vice President

Nathan (Nate) Benefield is the Senior Vice President 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 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.”

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

State Budget

Budget Hearings a Taxpayer-Funded Sham?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 21, 2009

The Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee is holding hearings on the vesion of the state budget passed by the Senate (see here for more on that) today and tomorrow. Yet…

Media

Read More: Budget Hearings a Taxpayer-Funded Sham?

State Budget

Pennsylvania Budget in Focus

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 21, 2009

The Commonwealth Foundation will be testifying on the state budget today. Here are some quick facts on the budget: PA Senate Budget by the Numbers Pennsylvania Deficit…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Budget in Focus

Government Accountability

Judicial Selection Revisited

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 20, 2009

John Baer has an interesting column on judicial elections, noting that, when looking at a list of yesterday’s election winners, that “Nobody’s heard of these people” and cites a…

Media

Read More: Judicial Selection Revisited

Taxes & Economy

Why Government Can’t Run a Business

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 20, 2009

John Steele Gordon has a good op-ed in the Wall Street Journal on why government attempts to run a business always fall short – whether that be health care,…

Media

Read More: Why Government Can’t Run a Business

Health Care

Obama’s Health Care Plan

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 19, 2009

A good article in The American on health care costs, The initial tax hikes on the quarter-million-dollar club are projected to raise $318 billion over ten…

Media

Read More: Obama’s Health Care Plan

Taxes & Economy

Higher Taxes in Store for Pennsylvania, Philadelphia?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 18, 2009

The Associated Press has a story on the higher taxes that could be in store for Pennsylvanians. These include both the taxes proposed by Governor Rendell – on…

Media

Read More: Higher Taxes in Store for Pennsylvania, Philadelphia?

State Budget

Video: “Driving” Federal Debt

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 18, 2009

Here is a great video explaining the growth in federal debt in an easy to understand metaphor – i.e. how fast presidents are driving. George W. Bush “drove” faster…

Media

Read More: Video: “Driving” Federal Debt

Education

Get the Quarter Back

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 15, 2009

There is an old joke, with many variations that goes something like this: a foreigner came to visit a friend in America, and they went to watch a Pittsburgh Steelers…

Commentary

Read More: Get the Quarter Back

Education

Does Universal Preschool Improve Learning?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 15, 2009

The Heritage Foundation has a new backgrounder asking, “Does Universal Preschool Improve Learning?”   The short answer is NO.  For the long answer, they examine universal preschool programs…

Media

Read More: Does Universal Preschool Improve Learning?

Government Accountability

Follow Pennsylvania State Government on Twitter

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 14, 2009

Twitter is a good way to keep tabs on what is happening in Harrisburg on the state budget and other policy issues.  For those who are unfamiliar with Twitter,…

Media

Read More: Follow Pennsylvania State Government on Twitter