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
Hits and Misses from the 2015-16 Legislative Session
That's a wrap. The 2015-16 legislative session is officially in the history books. Despite a $650 million tax hike, Pennsylvanians have a lot to celebrate from the past two years.
Media
Read More: Hits and Misses from the 2015-16 Legislative SessionState Budget
Tracking State Budget Trends
The 2016-17 General Fund budget added to Pennsylvania’s fiscal challenges. Lawmakers approved the $31.6 billion budget without implementing meaningful reforms or authorizing enough revenue to balance the budget. Despite lacking…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Tracking State Budget TrendsRegulation
Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: December 2016
State revenue collections came in at $79.5 million below the official estimate for November, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Lackluster collections wiped away the little progress made during October when revenue collections…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: December 2016
Civility in a Clickbait Culture
Jeff Coleman, founder & principal of Churchill Strategies, former state representative and author of With All Due Respect, joins us for a conversation about political discourse, finding common ground and…
Commentary
Read More: Civility in a Clickbait CultureEducation
Details Emerge on Philly Union Negotiations
Intrepid reporter Kristen Graham of the Philadelphia Inquirer unearthed several details from contract negotiations between the school district of Philadelphia and the local teachers’ union, the Philadelphia Federation of…
Media
Read More: Details Emerge on Philly Union NegotiationsPublic Union Democracy
Government Unions’ Election Impact
One can't understate the scope of government unions' financial involvement in some of the key Pennsylvania races this fall. While final campaign finance numbers are still a few weeks away,…
Media
Read More: Government Unions’ Election ImpactPublic Union Democracy
The Rust Belt’s Labor Reform Wave
Lagging job growth, rising taxes and coercive union tactics created an appetite for labor reform throughout Rust Belt states. Transforming Labor, our latest policy report, ranks states on their…
Media
Read More: The Rust Belt’s Labor Reform Wave
Big Budget Deficits Show Need for Big Changes
Pennsylvania is in a pickle unless lawmakers make fundamental changes. That’s the message of yesterday’s Independent Fiscal Office Economic and Budget Outlook report. Each November the IFO looks at…
Media
Read More: Big Budget Deficits Show Need for Big ChangesRegulation
New IFO Report Emphasizes Need to Reform Spending
New IFO Report Emphasizes Need to Reform Spending State Faces up to $900 Million Budget Hole This Year November 16, 2016, Harrisburg, Pa.—Yesterday’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) mid-year…
Press Release
Read More: New IFO Report Emphasizes Need to Reform SpendingPublic Union Democracy
Pa. Gets a ‘D’ in First Ever 50-State Public Sector Labor Analysis
Study Reveals Most States Earn Low Grades in Public Employee Rights, Taxpayer Protections November 14, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Pennsylvania is one of 22 states ranking an abysmal “D” or “F” for…
Press Release
Read More: Pa. Gets a ‘D’ in First Ever 50-State Public Sector Labor AnalysisPublic Union Democracy
Transforming Labor
Executive Summary In the last five years, Americans have seen an unprecedented sweep of public sector labor reforms across several states. Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana—and most recently, West Virginia in…
Report
Read More: Transforming Labor
The Taxpayer Protection Act is Crucial for Pa.
Under Gov. Wolf's administration, state spending has risen by $2.6 billion. For context, spending over the previous eight years grew by $2.7 billion. Total spending would be higher if it weren’t for fiscally…
Media
Read More: The Taxpayer Protection Act is Crucial for Pa.Regulation
Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: November 2016
Last month we raised concerns about Pennsylvania's fiscal trajectory. At the time, state revenue collections were more than $218 million below the official estimate. The current revenue picture is slightly…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: November 2016Public Union Democracy
A Dramatic Shift in Pennsylvania
From celebration to soul-searching, post-election analysis is everywhere. While top-of-the-ballot results dominate headlines and your news feed, don’t miss the dramatic shift that occurred last night in Pennsylvania. Republicans achieved…
Media
Read More: A Dramatic Shift in PennsylvaniaEducation
Can a Dwight Schrute Save Scranton?
Dwight K. Schrute is an employee at Dunder Mifflin—a fictional Scranton paper company featured in NBC’s The Office. And he just may be the key to overcoming the city’s very…
Media
Read More: Can a Dwight Schrute Save Scranton?Regulation
Who Pays for SEPTA?
News reports today indicate SEPTA (the public transit agency serving the Philadelphia region) came to an agreement with the Transportation Workers Union Local 234—ending a six-day strike just before election…
Media
Read More: Who Pays for SEPTA?Public Union Democracy
Government Unions Pour Millions into Pa. Elections
Government Unions Pour Millions into Pa. Elections Taxpayers Help Union Leaders Target U. S. Senate, State Attorney General Races November 2, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Government union leaders have poured nearly…
Press Release
Read More: Government Unions Pour Millions into Pa. ElectionsEducation
Children Benefit From School Choice, And So Do You
The moral argument for school choice is irrefutable: Every child deserves access to a first-rate education. Families should not be limited by the supply of public schools within artificially-drawn district…
Media
Read More: Children Benefit From School Choice, And So Do YouState Budget
Prioritizing Tax Revenue over People
PennLive recently published an editorial analyzing the General Assembly’s actions—or lack thereof—on key issues during the last two weeks of the legislative session. Their views on the e-cigarette (vape) tax deserve special…
Media
Read More: Prioritizing Tax Revenue over PeoplePublic Union Democracy
Missed Opportunities: Fall Legislative Session
Three critical bills stalled last week amidst a flurry of last minute legislative activity. Failure to reform pensions, repeal the e-cigarette tax, and prohibit ghost teaching were missed opportunities that…
Media
Read More: Missed Opportunities: Fall Legislative SessionHealth Care
Painful Year for Pennsylvanians on the Obamacare Exchange
Today marks the fifth open enrollment season for Obamacare's insurance exchange. As predicted, premiums continue to skyrocket. In fact, Pennsylvania's premium increases are among the highest in the…
Media
Read More: Painful Year for Pennsylvanians on the Obamacare Exchange