Erik Telford
Senior Vice President of Public Affairs
Erik Telford is the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at the Commonwealth Foundation.
Erik is a senior public affairs and communications executive with more than 15 years of diverse experience across public policy, advocacy, and public affairs institutions. Before joining the Commonwealth Foundation, Erik served as the senior vice president at Stand Together Communications, the Koch network’s marketing and communications capability. Erik has also served as the president of the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity, a state-based watchdog journalism organization. And at Americans for Prosperity, he was the executive director of RightOnline (an initiative he founded) and the director of membership and online strategy. He is currently on the board of the American Commitment Foundation.
In 2013, Campaigns & Elections Magazine honored Erik as an “Advocacy Innovator” and in 2011 as a “Rising Star in American Politics.” Politics Online named him one of the “Top 10 Who Are Changing the World of Internet and Politics.”
State Budget
What’s Next for the 2017-18 Budget?
What does the Senate's vote to non-concur mean? How does a conference committee work? How does the credit downgrade affect the budget? Negotiations over the 2017-18 budget have raised interesting…
Memo
Read More: What’s Next for the 2017-18 Budget?Education
Gov. Wolf’s Indefensible Decisions Continue to Hurt Students
Pennsylvania’s successful scholarship programs—the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC)—are in danger once again. The Wolf Administration has delayed the programs’ approval letters, which…
Media
Read More: Gov. Wolf’s Indefensible Decisions Continue to Hurt Students
How to Balance the 2017-18 Budget Without Tax Hikes
Here’s how the Pennsylvania House can stop the Senate tax hikes and protect taxpayers from tax hikes and borrowing.
Commentary
Read More: How to Balance the 2017-18 Budget Without Tax Hikes
How to Balance the 2017-18 Budget Without Tax Hikes
Here’s how the Pennsylvania House can stop the Senate tax hikes and protect taxpayers from tax hikes and borrowing.
Commentary
Read More: How to Balance the 2017-18 Budget Without Tax Hikes
Chart of the Month Aug-Sept 2017
General Fund Spending Under Gov. Wolf…
Commentary
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Chart of the Month Aug-Sept 2017
General Fund Spending Under Gov. Wolf…
Commentary
Read More: Chart of the Month Aug-Sept 2017
Around the State
In May, Matt Brouillette of Commonwealth Partners, George Coates, Commonwealth Foundation board treasurer, and Commonwealth Foundation President & CEO Charles Mitchell had the privilege of touring Pepperidge Farm's facility in…
Commentary
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Around the State
In May, Matt Brouillette of Commonwealth Partners, George Coates, Commonwealth Foundation board treasurer, and Commonwealth Foundation President & CEO Charles Mitchell had the privilege of touring Pepperidge Farm's facility in…
Commentary
Read More: Around the State
Meet Lenny McAllister
Lenny McAllister joined CF in early 2017 as the first director of entrepreneur engagement in western Pennsylvania. Recently, CF Vice President Jennifer Stefano sat down with Lenny to discuss his…
Commentary
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Meet Lenny McAllister
Lenny McAllister joined CF in early 2017 as the first director of entrepreneur engagement in western Pennsylvania. Recently, CF Vice President Jennifer Stefano sat down with Lenny to discuss his…
Commentary
Read More: Meet Lenny McAllister
State Budget Update
On the last day of the state’s fiscal year, the General Assembly passed a $32 billion budget that boosts state spending by $500 million, but lawmakers didn’t say how they’d…
Commentary
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State Budget Update
On the last day of the state’s fiscal year, the General Assembly passed a $32 billion budget that boosts state spending by $500 million, but lawmakers didn’t say how they’d…
Commentary
Read More: State Budget Update
Follow Our Lead
Those seeking a return to fiscal sanity should take heart: Significant reforms are advancing at the state level that could spur a bottom-up course correction across the country—and Pennsylvania is…
Commentary
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Follow Our Lead
Those seeking a return to fiscal sanity should take heart: Significant reforms are advancing at the state level that could spur a bottom-up course correction across the country—and Pennsylvania is…
Commentary
Read More: Follow Our Lead
A Visitor’s Guide to Buying Booze in PA
Planning a dinner? Picking up a hostess gift? Here’s our handy shopping guide to keep things E.A.S.Y.* (*Every Annoying Stop You have to make to get what you need.)…
Commentary
Read More: A Visitor’s Guide to Buying Booze in PA
A Visitor’s Guide to Buying Booze in PA
Planning a dinner? Picking up a hostess gift? Here’s our handy shopping guide to keep things E.A.S.Y.* (*Every Annoying Stop You have to make to get what you need.)…
Commentary
Read More: A Visitor’s Guide to Buying Booze in PA
Note From the Team Aug-Sept 2017
The editor explains how the state budget impacted printing this summer and why pension reform was such an important victory.
Commentary
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Note From the Team Aug-Sept 2017
The editor explains how the state budget impacted printing this summer and why pension reform was such an important victory.
Commentary
Read More: Note From the Team Aug-Sept 2017Taxes & Economy
Three Reasons a Severance Tax Is a Bad Idea
The hunt for money to satisfy Harrisburg's overspending problem is in full gear. Lawmakers and special interests want to impose an additional tax on gas extraction in the Marcellus Shale, the…
Media
Read More: Three Reasons a Severance Tax Is a Bad Idea