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.”

Public Union Democracy

Is the secret ballot in danger?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 20, 2009

As “the first hundred days” starts today, what is in the cards for the Obama administration? A couple of weeks ago, Kimberly Strassel of the Wall Street Journal reported…

Media

Read More: Is the secret ballot in danger?

Regulation

There’s a reason so many Steeler fans have left Pittsburgh

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 19, 2009

Jerry Bowyer has an excellent piece in today’s Wall Street Journal on why sports – and taxpayer subsidized sports stadiums – do not lead to broader economic gains (a…

Media

Read More: There’s a reason so many Steeler fans have left Pittsburgh

Regulation

Boscovs Bailout is Bad for Business

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 19, 2009

With bailout mania sweeping the nation, it is hardly a surprise to see the struggling Boscov’s department store with its hand out.  But the current proposal to give Boscov's $35…

Commentary

Read More: Boscovs Bailout is Bad for Business

Government Accountability

Evaluation of Pennsylvania School District Websites

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 16, 2009

Our friends at the Sam Adams Alliance have reviewed websites from all 501 school districts in Pennsylvania on their Sunshine Review wiki.  They found that there is a…

Media

Read More: Evaluation of Pennsylvania School District Websites

Taxes & Economy

Some Stimulating Reading

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 16, 2009

Here are some quick reads about the proposed federal “Economic Stimulus” package Heritage has 10 Questions about the Economic Stimulus Bill Amanda Carpenter summarizes the 13-page official summary…

Media

Read More: Some Stimulating Reading

Regulation

Fiddling while Pennsylvania bleeds

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 15, 2009

Brian O’Neill has an outstanding column in the Post-Gazette questioning the efficacy of “economic development” subsidies (corporate welfare) during a state budget crunch – or any time, really. The…

Media

Read More: Fiddling while Pennsylvania bleeds

Taxes & Economy

Who is to blame for “financial crisis”?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 15, 2009

Who is to blame for the current economic predicament? We answered this question many months ago, but a new poll highlighted on the New York Times Economix Blog…

Media

Read More: Who is to blame for “financial crisis”?

State Budget

Pennsylvania Revenue Shortfall Projections

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 14, 2009

For those who are following Pennsylvania’s revenue shortfall closely, the state Budget Office provided on request (and were kind enough to waive the 25-cent cost) me the monthly…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Revenue Shortfall Projections

Taxes & Economy

Worst Economy Since the Great Depression?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 14, 2009

Free Market Politics with no words (or 6,000 if you think a picture is worth a thousand words) debunks the oft-stated rhetoric that we are facing the “worst economic…

Media

Read More: Worst Economy Since the Great Depression?

State Budget

Shovel Ready?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 14, 2009

In discussion of a “stimulus” plan/bailout of state and local governments, a lot of has been made of funding “shovel ready” projects – thus leading to governors and mayors putting…

Media

Read More: Shovel Ready?

Regulation

Kicking and screaming over soccer stadium

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 13, 2009

Delware County Councilman Andy Lewis is fighting against taxpayer funding for the proposed soccer stadium in Chester, noting (among other things) that Major League Soccer might go under, leaving…

Media

Read More: Kicking and screaming over soccer stadium

Taxes & Economy

Stimu-less

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 13, 2009

Lots of good explanation of why a federal “economic stimulus” is likely to fail. The Heritage Foundation has the “Do’s and Don’ts of an Economic Stimulus” – unfortunately all…

Media

Read More: Stimu-less

Taxes & Economy

We spent taxpayer money on this #@!$?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 12, 2009

Suppose you were faced with a major revenue shorfall and had to prioritize spending. Would you: 1) Give employees their promised raises or2) Produce a website/video…

Media

Read More: We spent taxpayer money on this #@!$?

State Budget

The façade of Pennsylvania’a state budget

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 12, 2009

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has a story on how state taxpayer funding is available for business façades. The real façade is that the state budget is “cut to the…

Media

Read More: The façade of Pennsylvania’a state budget

Health Care

What Medicaid Tells Us About Government Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 12, 2009

In the Wall Street Journal, Scott Gottlieb notes the poor performance of Medicaid, and wonders why President-elect Obama (or Governor Rendell) would want to expand on such a…

Media

Read More: What Medicaid Tells Us About Government Health Care

Education

Remembering Paul Henkels

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 11, 2009

Paul Henckels, chaiman of the REACH Foundation and a leader in the school choice movement in Pennsylvania, passed away late last week. Please find the news release from…

Media

Read More: Remembering Paul Henkels

Taxes & Economy

Movin’ Out of Pennsylvania in 2008

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 9, 2009

United Van Lines has released their 2008 migration study, detailing shipments into and out of each state. Pennsylvania saw 58% of movement leaving the state, ranking as the…

Media

Read More: Movin’ Out of Pennsylvania in 2008

Education

School district consolidation unlikely to cut cost

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 9, 2009

Over at School Board Transparency blog, Fred Baldwin writes that consolidating school districts (to county wide districts) is unlikely to result in substantial cost savings – that is…

Media

Read More: School district consolidation unlikely to cut cost

Education

Lesson from Pittsburgh: Low standards Hurt Students

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 8, 2009

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review article covers how the Pittsburgh Public Schools administration is trying to defend its policy of a 50% minimum grade (HT GrassrootsPA), But…

Media

Read More: Lesson from Pittsburgh: Low standards Hurt Students

Taxes & Economy

More on the Porn Bailout

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 8, 2009

As mentioned here yesterday, the Porn Industry (led by Hustler’s Larry Flynt and Girl’s Gone Wild‘s Joe Francis) is seeking a federal bailout.  I’m not sure if they are…

Media

Read More: More on the Porn Bailout