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.”
Education
Can ESAs Coexist with Tax Credit Scholarships? Absolutely
As lawmakers move closer to introducing education savings accounts (ESAs) in Pennsylvania, some may wonder how ESAs would coexist with the commonwealth’s private scholarship programs, the Educational…
Media
Read More: Can ESAs Coexist with Tax Credit Scholarships? AbsolutelyEducation
School District Spending, Rainy Day Funds are Surging—Again
Americans love Springtime—and for good reason! With Spring comes warm weather, blooming flowers, and baseball season. Most importantly, Spring is time for new data from Pennsylvania’s Department of Education—which yesterday…
Media
Read More: School District Spending, Rainy Day Funds are Surging—AgainEducation
Research: ESAs Boost Teacher Pay, Create Jobs, and Reduce Poverty
Pennsylvania is among a dozen states pursuing education savings accounts—innovative school choice tools that empower parents to customize their child’s education. ESAs are flexible spending accounts, controlled by…
Media
Read More: Research: ESAs Boost Teacher Pay, Create Jobs, and Reduce PovertyPublic Union Democracy
Why PA Needs Paycheck Protection
Commentary
Read More: Why PA Needs Paycheck ProtectionEducation
For Most Teachers, Status Quo Pension a Lousy Deal
Illuminating new research confirms what CF has been saying for years: Pennsylvania’s pension system is a bad deal for teachers. In EducationNext, authors Chad Aldeman and Kelly Robson…
Media
Read More: For Most Teachers, Status Quo Pension a Lousy DealTaxes & Economy
Pennsylvania’s ‘Economic Iron Curtain’
Imagine discovering buried treasure on your property. Suddenly, you can provide for your family, send your kids to college debt-free, pay off your parent’s mortgage, or fund your retirement. It…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania’s ‘Economic Iron Curtain’Regulation
Liquor “Modernization” a Financial Flop
Last year, the legislature enacted a law allowing restaurants and a small number of grocery stores to sell wine and “modernizing” the government liquor stores to “run more like…
Media
Read More: Liquor “Modernization” a Financial FlopState Budget
Charting Pennsylvania’s Past Can Shape Its Future
Decades of poor policy decisions have contributed to Pennsylvania’s current fiscal struggles. Not coincidentally, as the size and scope of government has increased, so have the commonwealth’s financial and economic…
Media
Read More: Charting Pennsylvania’s Past Can Shape Its FutureEducation
New SRC Member Slams Ghost Teaching
Estelle Richman, appointed by Gov. Wolf to Philadelphia’s School Reform Commission (SRC), was unanimously confirmed to the position today by Pennsylvania’s Senate. The SRC is tasked with overseeing Philadelphia’s…
Media
Read More: New SRC Member Slams Ghost TeachingGovernment Accountability
Taxpayers Collect Millions for Government Unions
Since 2010, Pennsylvania state government has used taxpayer resources to transfer $244 million to government union treasuries. This figure includes millions for highly political activities. According to records obtained via…
Media
Read More: Taxpayers Collect Millions for Government UnionsHealth Care
Obamacare Repeal Could Strengthen Medicaid
There is no shortage of dire warnings from the press, medical industry lobbyists, and other left-leaning organizations about the American Health Care Act's (AHCA) landmark Medicaid reforms. At the…
Media
Read More: Obamacare Repeal Could Strengthen Medicaid
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
Everything You Need to Know About the State Budget
The Good Spends less than Gov. Wolf’s proposal. The $33.3 billion budget Gov. Wolf outlined was never seriously considered, given how far it was outside the realm of political possibility.
Commentary
Read More: Everything You Need to Know About the State Budget
Everything You Need to Know About the State Budget
The Good Spends less than Gov. Wolf’s proposal. The $33.3 billion budget Gov. Wolf outlined was never seriously considered, given how far it was outside the realm of political possibility.
Commentary
Read More: Everything You Need to Know About the State BudgetRegulation
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.
Media
Read More: A Visitor?s Guide to Buying Booze in PA
Commonwealth Foundation’s Harrisburg Office Got a Makeover!
Commonwealth Foundation’s Harrisburg office got a makeover! Since 2002. We’ve changed significantly since we moved in, and thanks to the generosity of our donors, we were able to complete some…
Commentary
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation’s Harrisburg Office Got a Makeover!
Commonwealth Foundation’s Harrisburg Office Got a Makeover!
Commonwealth Foundation’s Harrisburg office got a makeover! Since 2002. We’ve changed significantly since we moved in, and thanks to the generosity of our donors, we were able to complete some…
Commentary
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation’s Harrisburg Office Got a Makeover!
Victory for Dave!
With the help of the Fairness Center, Dave and Don challenged Wolf’s order in court. And in September, the Commonwealth Court struck down Wolf’s executive order unionizing home care workers.
Commentary
Read More: Victory for Dave!
Victory for Dave!
With the help of the Fairness Center, Dave and Don challenged Wolf’s order in court. And in September, the Commonwealth Court struck down Wolf’s executive order unionizing home care workers.
Commentary
Read More: Victory for Dave!
Soundbites
Charter schools, “are public schools that are operate outside of the school district infrastructure…They’re given a degree of autonomy and freedom in exchange for accountability."…
Commentary
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Soundbites
Charter schools, “are public schools that are operate outside of the school district infrastructure…They’re given a degree of autonomy and freedom in exchange for accountability."…
Commentary
Read More: Soundbites