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.”

Government Accountability

Constitutional Convention in IL gets a boost

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 2, 2008

The Illinois Constitutional Convention ballot question, discussed in a previous post, got a couple of boosts in the last week. First came news that the Cook County Assessor…

Media

Read More: Constitutional Convention in IL gets a boost

Taxes & Economy

That’s our General Assembly

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 2, 2008

With a budget deficit and possible tax increase looming, federal denial of I-80 tolling opening up a gap in transportation funding (and the Turnpike Commission borrowing against future…

Media

Read More: That’s our General Assembly

Taxes & Economy

Free market groups opposing bailout

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 1, 2008

A coalition of 27 organizations, including the Commonwealth Foundation, have signed on to an open letter to US Senators put together by NTU in opposition to the $700…

Media

Read More: Free market groups opposing bailout

State Budget

PA Budget Deficit Growing

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 1, 2008

The latest Pennsylvania Revenue Department report indicates that collections were $160 million below estimates in September, and $280 million below for the fiscal year which began in July.

Media

Read More: PA Budget Deficit Growing

Regulation

Convention Center no economic savior

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 1, 2008

Post-Gazette looks at the failure of the $373 million Pittsburgh convention center to create an economic boom – or even to outdraw the old convention center (HT: Grassroots…

Media

Read More: Convention Center no economic savior

Taxes & Economy

Not facing a Great Depression

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 1, 2008

Here are a couple of good articles on the bailout (and the rhetoric in favor of it) by Cato scholars. Alan Reynolds writes that “saying we’re in for another…

Media

Read More: Not facing a Great Depression

Health Care

Converting Medicaid into Premium Assistance

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 30, 2008

The Heritage Foundation has a new backgrounder (click here for PDF) on how states can convert Medicaid spending into premium assistance for insurance – a proposal which would…

Media

Read More: Converting Medicaid into Premium Assistance

Health Care

Bailing Out Massachusetts

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 30, 2008

The Foundry Blog of the Heritage Foundation has discovered that the federal government will “bail out” Massachusetts troubled health care plan (e.g. RomneyCare) with a $4.2 billion increase…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Root causes of the financial “crisis”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 30, 2008

I attended a conference late last week feature a number of economists, and was surprised to discover a great deal of disagreement about what caused the “crisis” in the financial…

Media

Read More: Root causes of the financial “crisis”

Government Accountability

Perzel’s Parking Authority

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 30, 2008

Here is a funny video in which “Manatee” declares his desire to run the Philadelphia Parking Authority, so that he can work as little as possible, hire all his…

Media

Read More: Perzel’s Parking Authority

Taxes & Economy

Bailout Fails

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 29, 2008

In case you missed it, the vote on the bailout failed. GrassrootsPA has the PA Delegation Bailout Vote. The Club for Growth blog has a lot more on…

Media

Read More: Bailout Fails

Taxes & Economy

Property Taxes by State and by County

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 29, 2008

The Tax Foundation has a new analysis of property taxes by state and by county. The state data shows that Pennsylvania ranks 15th in median property taxes ($2,159),…

Media

Read More: Property Taxes by State and by County

Taxes & Economy

Bailout Updates

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 28, 2008

Bill Text Side-by-Side Comparisons CNN Summary Sales Pitch Summary Boehner’s Sales Pitch Bush’s Sales Pitch WSJ Summary Rep. Mike Pence: “Republicans…

Media

Read More: Bailout Updates

Taxes & Economy

Will rejectors regret inaction on turnpike?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 28, 2008

Morning Call editorial blasts lawmakers for failing to even consider a lease deal: Once again, the small-idea, under-achieving Pennsylvania Legislature has let down the people they serve. The…

Media

Read More: Will rejectors regret inaction on turnpike?

Taxes & Economy

The case Barlett hasn’t made

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 27, 2008

Bruce Bartlett attempts to justify the bailout (“The case Bush hasn’t made”) by explaining that the financial sector is different than other sectors, that a collapse in the financial…

Media

Read More: The case Barlett hasn’t made

Taxes & Economy

Free Market Alternatives to the Bailout

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 27, 2008

Pat Toomey of the Club for Growth hosted a conference a call to discuss the economics of the proposed bailout. Toomey commented that the financial market does not seem…

Media

Read More: Free Market Alternatives to the Bailout

Taxes & Economy

Turnpike Lease Bid expiring – what now?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 26, 2008

With the Turnpike lease bid expiring – and indications are there will be no extension of the $12.8 billion bid – both Governor Rendell and some lawmakers have…

Media

Read More: Turnpike Lease Bid expiring – what now?

Government Accountability

Talking Free Markets with Karl Rove

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 26, 2008

I had the chance to hear Karl Rove speak at a conference hosted by Hillsdale College on “Economics and the 2008 Election.”  Rove had some interesting things to say:…

Media

Read More: Talking Free Markets with Karl Rove

Health Care

PA Senate passes “slacker mandate”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 24, 2008

The Pennsylvania Senate today passed by a 50-0 vote a “slacker mandate,” (SB 1453) requiring insurance companies to cover single, childless children of policy holders (at the policy holder’s…

Media

Read More: PA Senate passes “slacker mandate”

Taxes & Economy

Offshore drilling ban to expire

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 24, 2008

Democrats to let offshore drilling ban expire; the American Future Fund has the details.This means that beginning October 1, companies can begin drilling in the areas highlighted…

Media

Read More: Offshore drilling ban to expire

Taxes & Economy

Upwardly Mobile America?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 24, 2008

Good article in The American Magazine on income growth and mobility in America. If you’re like me, you can skim the text and just read the charts.

Media

Read More: Upwardly Mobile America?