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.”

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

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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?

Education

Flunked Trailer

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 24, 2008

Flunked: The Movie is a documentary looking at the failure of our public schools, and success stories in public education.  Below is the trailer. We will be hosting a…

Media

Read More: Flunked Trailer

Taxes & Economy

Did Dwight Schrute write Paulson’s speech before Congress?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 23, 2008

Was Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson’s speech before Congress plagiarized?  It sounds a lot like this clip from The Office. Here is Dwight’s presentation, with Paulson’s edits: This…

Media

Read More: Did Dwight Schrute write Paulson’s speech before Congress?

Regulation

Financial “crisis” a failure of government

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 23, 2008

While some pundits and media, such as the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, point to the proposed bailout as demonstration of the failure of the free market, in fact it is a…

Media

Read More: Financial “crisis” a failure of government

Taxes & Economy

Post-Gazette defends mass transit monopolies

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 23, 2008

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a nonsensical editorial opposing Mike Turzai and Mike Mustio’s legislation which would allow competition in mass transit in Pittsburgh. Currently the Port Authority of Allegheny…

Media

Read More: Post-Gazette defends mass transit monopolies

Taxes & Economy

More on the Proposed Bailout

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 23, 2008

More responses and info about the proposed federal bailout: Club for Growth Condemns Federal Bailout Reason: Assessing the $700 billion bailout NTU: Taxpayers are Sick…

Media

Read More: More on the Proposed Bailout

Government Accountability

Bonus Ban(s) pass House State Government

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 22, 2008

After numerous complaints about the lack of action on reform bills (including from yours truly) the House State Government committee today voted to send two “bonus ban” bills…

Media

Read More: Bonus Ban(s) pass House State Government

State Budget

Check out Pork Parade

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 22, 2008

Congressman Jeff Flake has a new website to expose Pork from Washington. To contribute to the discussion, you can twitter with the code #pork. Twitter users can also…

Media

Read More: Check out Pork Parade

Taxes & Economy

Rendell not to blame for sagging PA economy

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 22, 2008

The lastest state job numbers indicate that Pennsylvania has 100,000 more unemployed persons that one year ago. Yet, Governor Rendell announces that this is due to national trends -his…

Media

Read More: Rendell not to blame for sagging PA economy