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.”

Taxes & Economy

Bushels of Bibles for Pennsylvania Lawmakers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 26, 2009

Mario Cattabiani has a story in the Philadelphia Inquirer on the cost of new Bibles (and other holy books) for lawmakers to be sworn in on – $13,700.

Media

Read More: Bushels of Bibles for Pennsylvania Lawmakers

Education

Local Proficiency Measures are Lacking in PA

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 26, 2009

A new study from Penn State reveals that local school districts’ assessments, allowed as an alternative to the 11th-grade PSSA exam to demonstrate proficiency for Pennsylvania students before graduating,…

Media

Read More: Local Proficiency Measures are Lacking in PA

“Tea Parties” Coming to Pennsylvania

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 25, 2009

Online conservative activists have rallied to CNBC’s Rick Santelli’s call last for a “Nationwide Tea Party” to protest the economic “stimulus,” bailouts, and erosion of liberty. Here are some…

Media

Read More: “Tea Parties” Coming to Pennsylvania

Government Accountability

PA House, Senate Refuse Request for Lobbyist Records

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 25, 2009

Here is an AP Story on the ruling by Pennsylvania House and Senate have ruled that lobbyist contact is not covered under the new Open Records law (HT…

Media

Read More: PA House, Senate Refuse Request for Lobbyist Records

Obama’s Mortgage Plan vs. Predatory Lending

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 24, 2009

A Heritage Insider blog post asks what the difference is between the mortgage plan proposed by Obama and the predatory lending using “teaser rates” that contributed to the rise…

Media

Read More: Obama’s Mortgage Plan vs. Predatory Lending

Education

Fact Check: PA Education Spending

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 24, 2009

A myth floating around Harrisburg is that the state government used to fund 50% of K-12 education, and has reduced support since then. This was most recently stated by…

Media

Read More: Fact Check: PA Education Spending

Taxes & Economy

Federal stimulus is a trap for states

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 23, 2009

The Wall Street Journal today looks at governors considering rejecting the federal stimulus dollars, as it will increase the cost to states.  For example, the stimulus expands Medicaid subsidies,…

Media

Read More: Federal stimulus is a trap for states

Regulation

State and local owe enormous obligations to retirees

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 23, 2009

The Allegheny Institute has a new policy report examining the pension plans of the 10 largest Pennsylvania cities. They find these plans have a combined unfunded liability of $4.5…

Media

Read More: State and local owe enormous obligations to retirees

Education

Report Card on American Education: A State-by-State Analysis

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 23, 2009

The American Legislative Exchange Council has released their annual Report Card on American Education. The report is filled with education data – spending, inputs, academic performance – with a…

Media

Read More: Report Card on American Education: A State-by-State Analysis

Taxes & Economy

Rendell admits “stimulus” may not stimulate

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 22, 2009

Governor Rendell has acknowledged that he’s not sure the stimulus legislation just passed will actually help the economy (HT PA Watercooler).  On the one hand, I’ll like to…

Media

Read More: Rendell admits “stimulus” may not stimulate

Taxes & Economy

Policies that Produce Real Growth

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 21, 2009

Dan Mitchell has another educational video produced by the Center for Freedom and Prosperity. He uses the Fraser Institute Economic Freedom of the World (Heritage has a…

Media

Read More: Policies that Produce Real Growth

Taxes & Economy

Roots of the Crisis

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 21, 2009

FreedomWorks has a great looking redesign of their website.   They also have a new feature article on the “roots of the financial crisis“, which is full…

Media

Read More: Roots of the Crisis

Taxes & Economy

Is tolling I-80 dead?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 20, 2009

Some of the Turnpike Commissioners think that tolling I-80 across PA remains a strong possibility, and that the federal government did not “reject” the tolling plan.  See the…

Media

Read More: Is tolling I-80 dead?

Regulation

More on the PA Pension “Spike”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 19, 2009

A couple of editorials on the crisis in Pennsylvania’s public pension crisis from the Daily Review and the Courier Express.  Both called for depoliticizing the plans by moving…

Media

Read More: More on the PA Pension “Spike”

State Budget

What do Economists Agree On?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 18, 2009

Greg Mankiw posts a selection from his textbook on what economists agree on, from a survey.  I am not suprised to see economists overwhelmingly support free trade, as that…

Media

Read More: What do Economists Agree On?

Regulation

Update on the Boscov’s Bailout

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 18, 2009

John Micek has a summary of the new PA DCED secretary’s explanation of the Boscov’s bailout, during a hearing today.  Secretary Cornelius noted that bailouts encourage companies to start…

Media

Read More: Update on the Boscov’s Bailout

Education

Piccola Offers Alternative Plan for PA Higher Ed

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 18, 2009

State Sen. Jeff Piccola has a new proposal to offer additional grants directly to Pennsylvania students for higher education, and tie this funding to both schools’ holding tuition costs down…

Media

Read More: Piccola Offers Alternative Plan for PA Higher Ed

Government Accountability

Pay to Play Culture in Harrisburg

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 18, 2009

ABC 27 has a story/video highlighting the “pay-to-play” cronyism in Harrisburg, specifically the $11 million in outside legal fees (despite hundreds of lawyers on staff) going to Ballard Spahr…

Media

Read More: Pay to Play Culture in Harrisburg

Regulation

PA pension funds report major losses

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 17, 2009

Mark Scolforo summarizes the reports from Pennsylvania two statewide pension funds SERS (for state workers) and PSERS (for school district employees): The percentage losses on investments were similar.

Media

Read More: PA pension funds report major losses