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.”

State Budget

Who opposed the Bridge to Nowhere?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 9, 2008

NTU sums up the “Bridge to Nowhere” opposition: Sarah Palin has declared she said “thanks, but no thanks” on the Bridge to Nowhere. And it’s true, that she stopped…

Media

Read More: Who opposed the Bridge to Nowhere?

Government Accountability

Past Time to Clean Up Harrisburg

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 8, 2008

The Pittsburgh Tribune Review has a couple of stories on corruption in the Capitol.  One is a query about the $10 million in taxpayer grants directed to the Beaver…

Media

Read More: Past Time to Clean Up Harrisburg

Taxes & Economy

New Facts and Resources on Transportation Funding

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 7, 2008

We have revised our PolicyPoints on Act 44 and Transportation Funding More Resources: Turnpike Lease/BidTurnpikeFacts.comFull Concession Agreement – Governor’s OfficeSynopsis of Lease Requirements/Limits…

Media

Read More: New Facts and Resources on Transportation Funding

Government Accountability

Does Government Need to Fund R&D?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 5, 2008

An interesting query on the role of government in research and new technologies from OpenMarket.org. The insight is relevant both for topics like bio-fuel research and stem-cell research, but…

Media

Read More: Does Government Need to Fund R&D?

Health Care

McCain and Obama on Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 5, 2008

While health care policy won’t get the level of media coverage as Sarah Palin’s teenage daughter or Barack Obama’s crazy pastor, some people might be interested in looking at the candidates proposals…

Media

Read More: McCain and Obama on Health Care

Public Union Democracy

Todd Palin is Bankrolling Efforts to Defeat His Wife

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 4, 2008

If you saw this blog title and thought there was something out whack, as I did, well you are right, but not because Todd Palin is deliberating undermining his wife.

Media

Read More: Todd Palin is Bankrolling Efforts to Defeat His Wife

Education

Schools failing, but don’t give students choices

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 4, 2008

Tribune-Review article highlights chronically failing schools in the Pittsburgh area (see our report on school perfomance for more how schools are doing), and the No Child Left Behind mandate…

Media

Read More: Schools failing, but don’t give students choices

Taxes & Economy

End of the “Second Whiskey Rebellion”?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 4, 2008

The Allegheny Institute writes that a court ruling, disallowing a referendum on the Allegheny County drink tax, will likely be overturned on appeal, because is so shoddy. Pittsburgh…

Media

Read More: End of the “Second Whiskey Rebellion”?

Taxes & Economy

Compare the Presidential Candidates Tax Plans

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 3, 2008

The Tax Foundation has a tool offering side-by-side comparisons of tax proposals Bob Barr, Chuck Baldwin, Cynthia McKinney, and Ralph Nader. For all you policy wonks, you can also…

Media

Read More: Compare the Presidential Candidates Tax Plans

Taxes & Economy

Turnpike lease would be model for investing in infrastructure

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 3, 2008

Patriot News editorial notes that the proposed Turnpike lease deal would make PA a model for the nation. It’s not that the public-private partnership concept being pushed…

Media

Read More: Turnpike lease would be model for investing in infrastructure

Taxes & Economy

Offshore drilling to being on October 1?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 3, 2008

A Heritage Foundation webmemo articulates the fact that all Congress needs to do allow offshore drilling is not extend the moratorium – set to expire on Sept. 30.  They…

Media

Read More: Offshore drilling to being on October 1?

Regulation

Corporate Welfare 101

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 2, 2008

Philadelphia Inquirer story on how the Lancaster Convention Center project has spun out of control – with dramatic cost increases (from an initial $30 million to over $100 million),…

Media

Read More: Corporate Welfare 101

Taxes & Economy

Can the Feds Save the Housing Market?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 2, 2008

He is a good read from The Freeman offering a primer on how the US housing market came to be in such bad shape, and why federal bailouts is…

Media

Read More: Can the Feds Save the Housing Market?

Government Accountability

Push for reform coming up short

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 1, 2008

Here is one of the most disheartening articles I have read about reform in Harrisburg. (HT: Grassroots PA). Not only do some Pennsylvania lawmakers think that the…

Media

Read More: Push for reform coming up short

Taxes & Economy

PA ranks low among US and Canadian Labor Markets

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 1, 2008

For Labor Day, the Fraser Institute has a new report on state and Canadian provinces labor markets. It may stun some in the Rendell administration, but not…

Media

Read More: PA ranks low among US and Canadian Labor Markets

Health Care

Conservatives should care about health care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 31, 2008

Philip Klein has a must read article about why conservatives should care about health in the The American Spectator. He makes the case that it is not enough to…

Media

Read More: Conservatives should care about health care

Government Accountability

BonusGate update and questions

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 31, 2008

The Democracy Rising PA Newsletter raises some interesting points about a pronouncement by Attorney General Tom Corbett that he wouldn’t make announcements about indictments leading up to Nov.

Media

Read More: BonusGate update and questions

Taxes & Economy

Turnpike Commission to owe $30 to $70 billion after Act 44

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 29, 2008

In our news release and media briefing yesterday, highlighting the patronage, power, and politics at the Turnpike Commission, we mention the exorbitant amount of debt the Turnpike Commission…

Media

Read More: Turnpike Commission to owe $30 to $70 billion after Act 44

Education

SAT Scores by State

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 28, 2008

EDITORS NOTE: Click here for the 2014 SAT Scores by state The College Board released their 2008 College Bound Seniors report which details SAT scores. Click here for a…

Media

Read More: SAT Scores by State