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
School Funding Myths Debunked
Can Pennsylvania do better when it comes to educating our children? Absolutely. But playing “myths for money” will never lead to real solutions for families and students.
Commentary
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No One Person is to Blame for Pennsylvania’s Problems
Proponents of bigger goverment have crafted a narrative that government has been cut to the bone. Pennsylvania needs massive tax hikes, they say, to repair the damage done by Gov. Corbett, whose slash-and-burn budgeting…
Media
Read More: No One Person is to Blame for Pennsylvania’s ProblemsPublic Union Democracy
How Pennsylvania’s Labor Laws Trap Union Members
Pennsylvania's labor laws keep union members in the dark. Union members rarely have the opportunity to voice their opinion through elections or resign their membership. A lack of transparency makes…
Memo
Read More: How Pennsylvania’s Labor Laws Trap Union MembersEducation
Ghost Teachers Cost Allentown Millions
Allentown School District is no stranger to financial troubles. The third largest public school system in the commonwealth has been in financial distress for years. In 2011, the district…
Media
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Governor Wolf’s Sixth Tax Hike Plan
As noted in previous posts, Gov. Tom Wolf has proposed tax hike totaling $2.7 billion over a full year—or $850 per family of four. About half of this increase…
Media
Read More: Governor Wolf’s Sixth Tax Hike PlanRegulation
Addressing the Confusion on Compensation
Yesterday we issued a press release on public employee compensation, which is now causing quite a stir on social media. One commenter accused us of engaging in “shenanigans.” Another…
Media
Read More: Addressing the Confusion on CompensationPublic Union Democracy
The Pretense of Democratic Unions
Control over the largest local teachers union in Pennsylvania is up for grabs. The Caucus of Working Educators (WE) is challenging the leadership of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers…
Media
Read More: The Pretense of Democratic UnionsRegulation
Pennsylvania Must Control Compensation Costs
The soaring costs of public employee compensation, if left unchecked, could aggravate Pennsylvania’s financial troubles. The growth in employee benefits, which have skyrocketed since 2006, is driving this upward trend…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Must Control Compensation CostsRegulation
Secret Contracts Push State Worker Costs Near $100K Each
Secret Contracts Push State Worker Costs Near $100K Each Benefit Costs Tripled Since 2000 February 22, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—As Gov. Wolf calls for a record-high $80 billion…
Press Release
Read More: Secret Contracts Push State Worker Costs Near $100K EachState Budget
Wolf’s Policies Send Pennsylvanians Packing
Last year, we lost one person to another state every 12.5 minutes—a net migration of 41,600 residents, gone. That’s nearly the entire population of York, Gov. Wolf’s hometown. Ironically, Wolf…
Commentary
Read More: Wolf’s Policies Send Pennsylvanians PackingEducation
A Tale of Two School Districts
North Allegheny School District and Pittsburgh School District are barely a dozen miles apart, but their budgeting approaches for the next fiscal year are worlds apart. Thanks to rising pension…
Media
Read More: A Tale of Two School DistrictsTaxes & Economy
The Fair Share Fallacy
What is the natural gas industry's “fair share” of taxes? The answer depends on the calendar year. An analysis from the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) finds the current “impact fee” is effectively a 5.5…
Media
Read More: The Fair Share FallacyEducation
Taxpayer-Funded Union Politics in Philadelphia
It's no secret that the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) plucks teachers out of the classroom to work as full-time union operatives. These individuals are known as ghost teachers—and their…
Media
Read More: Taxpayer-Funded Union Politics in PhiladelphiaEducation
State Supremes Strike Down Charter Caps
Pennsylvania’s legislature granted extraordinary powers to Philadelphia’s School Reform Commission (SRC) when they created the body in 2001. Tasked with shoring up the district’s finances, the SRC was authorized to suspend…
Media
Read More: State Supremes Strike Down Charter CapsState Budget
One-Third of Pennsylvanians Want to Move Away
Residents in states with high taxes to want to move out, according to a recent Gallup poll. This includes 33 percent of Pennsylvania residents. This shouldn't be a shocker—Pennsylvania families…
Media
Read More: One-Third of Pennsylvanians Want to Move AwayState Budget
One-Third of Pennsylvanians Want Out
One-Third of Pa. Residents Want Out High Taxes Driving Thousands of Pennsylvanians Across State Lines February 17, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—One-third of Pennsylvanians would rather move to another state than…
Press Release
Read More: One-Third of Pennsylvanians Want OutTaxes & Economy
Press Pause on Clean Power Plan
In a historic move, the US Supreme Court stayed the EPA's Clean Power Plan, otherwise known as Obama's energy tax or stealth cap and trade. The court’s actions halt implementation…
Media
Read More: Press Pause on Clean Power PlanEducation
Wolf Tops $1 Billion in New Education Spending
As expected, a cornerstone of Gov. Wolf’s budget proposal is a massive increase in state support of public schools. The administration seeks a $1.1 billion increase over the record-high funding…
Media
Read More: Wolf Tops $1 Billion in New Education SpendingState Budget
Wolf Will Veto Prison Funding, Send the Money Anyway
In a bizarre news twist, Gov. Tom Wolf is threatening to veto a bill because…well, reasons. According to the AP: Democratic Governor Tom Wolf says he will veto…
Media
Read More: Wolf Will Veto Prison Funding, Send the Money Anyway