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

Why The Mortgage Crisis Happened

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 31, 2008

Here is a rather lengthy and detailed history of how government involvement in the mortgage and financial industries in the United States created…

Media

Read More: Why The Mortgage Crisis Happened

Regulation

Government Spending Doesn’t Create Jobs

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 31, 2008

The Heritage Foundation blog exposes one of the great myths of Washington (and Harrisburg) – that more government spending on transportation infrastructure (or economic development, or corporate welfare,…

Media

Read More: Government Spending Doesn’t Create Jobs

Regulation

Did Pennsylvania taxpayers “pay” to make a porno?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 30, 2008

Insider Online raises an interesting question (the continuation of a dialogue between Americans for Tax Reform and the Tax Foundation): Are targeted tax breaks the…

Media

Read More: Did Pennsylvania taxpayers “pay” to make a porno?

Taxes & Economy

Lancaster County Home Rule Charter Vote

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 30, 2008

Here is some information I have compiled on the Lancaster County home rule ballot measure (per a request from a Lancaster County Resident). Currently six counties in Pennsylvania have…

Media

Read More: Lancaster County Home Rule Charter Vote

Regulation

Did over-regulation cause the financial crisis?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 30, 2008

A new AEI publication addresses the myth that deregulation cause the financial crisis, but also notes that additional regulations by central planners did contribute to the crisis:…

Media

Read More: Did over-regulation cause the financial crisis?

Taxes & Economy

Sanford: “Don’t Bail Us Out”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 30, 2008

Yesterday, the US House of Representatives invited a number of governors and mayors to parade through the halls of Congress and beg for more taxpayer money from Washington.  And then…

Media

Read More: Sanford: “Don’t Bail Us Out”

Public Union Democracy

PSEA uses union dues to support Obama

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 29, 2008

Even though 60% of teachers’ union members consider themselves conservative, the PSEA – the union for most Pennsylvania school districts – is using union dues to support the Obama-Biden…

Media

Read More: PSEA uses union dues to support Obama

Taxes & Economy

Please don’t vote

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 29, 2008

John Stossel’s latest column encourages uninformed people to practice their civic duty not to vote. At a HeadCount concert, “20/20” asked some future voters, “How…

Media

Read More: Please don’t vote

Government Accountability

Presidential (Economic) Issues Guide

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 28, 2008

While not getting the publicity of the Water and Sewer bond ballot measure, there is also a presidential election going on.  As I have gotten a request for “voters…

Media

Read More: Presidential (Economic) Issues Guide

Education

Vouching for Obama

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 28, 2008

Andrew Coulson has a good read on National Review Online on Obama’s “open mind” (apparently now closed) on school choice, noting that Obama is instead using the old…

Media

Read More: Vouching for Obama

Government Accountability

Report Voter Fraud, Win Money

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 28, 2008

The Sam Adams Alliance is holding a video contest to raise public awareness in election fraud and prevent it from occurring. Click here for details. While…

Media

Read More: Report Voter Fraud, Win Money

Regulation

Should PA taxpayers be subsidizing Hollywood?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 27, 2008

Lowman Henry weighs in on the $5.7 million tax credit awarded by Pennsylvania taxpayers to the raunchy comedy, Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Henry thinks…

Media

Read More: Should PA taxpayers be subsidizing Hollywood?

Taxes & Economy

The Age of Prosperity Is Over

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 27, 2008

Art Laffer in today’s Wall Street Journal on how the bailout mentality is bad news for our economy: Whenever the government bails someone out of trouble, they always…

Media

Read More: The Age of Prosperity Is Over

Government Accountability

Pennsylvania Is Driving Its Doctors Away

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 25, 2008

Frederic Jarrett – a Pittsburgh doctor – editorializes in the Wall Street Journal as to how Governor Rendell is pushing doctors out a Pennsylvania by holding MCare abatement (a…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Is Driving Its Doctors Away

Taxes & Economy

Where has all the money for bridges gone?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 23, 2008

A Heritage Foundation analysis finds that the federal government has given more money to state for bridge repair than states are actually using, with a special mention of Pennsylvania:…

Media

Read More: Where has all the money for bridges gone?

Education

Will Pa. graduation exams improve public education?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 23, 2008

Cross-posted at Capitol Domes Gov. Rendell has been pushing the idea of a statewide graduation requirement that all students pass a test (his latest gives one of…

Media

Read More: Will Pa. graduation exams improve public education?

Taxes & Economy

Beyond the Bailout

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 23, 2008

The National Taxpayers Union (NTU) and Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) have a new website: BeyondBailouts.org.  The site is dedicated to exposing the government’s role in creating…

Media

Read More: Beyond the Bailout

Government Accountability

One rotten Acorn?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 23, 2008

GrassrootsPA has a roundup of stories on the Philadelphia man, working with ACORN, who was charged with 108 counts related to forgery and fraud in voter registration.  In the…

Media

Read More: One rotten Acorn?

Regulation

No Smoking Sign Mandate

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 23, 2008

Little noticed in the debate over Pennsylvania’s new smoking ban was that it also included a smoking sign mandate. The Commonwealth Foundation got our notice (along with a…

Media

Read More: No Smoking Sign Mandate

Taxes & Economy

Cutting corporate taxes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 22, 2008

When critics of the US (and Pennsylvania’s) corporate tax structure – like the NCPA, Tax Foundation, and Commonwealth Foundation – point out that the US (and Pennsylvania)…

Media

Read More: Cutting corporate taxes

Education

Forced Unionism and Teacher Strikes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 22, 2008

Video from the National Right to Work Foundation  featuring Simon Campbell of Stop Teacher Strikes…

Media

Read More: Forced Unionism and Teacher Strikes