Erik Telford

Media Contact
media(at)commonwealthfoundation.org

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.”

Don’t buy Wolf’s budget propaganda (letter)

July 22, 2015

Media Hit

Public Union Democracy

The Law Should Not Condone Violence

Nathan Benefield
July 21, 2015

Yesterday, Ironworkers Local 401 union leader Joseph Dougherty was given a 19 year prison sentence for encouraging sabotage and intimidation to advance his union’s interests. The judge in the…

Media

Taxes & Economy

A Cooked Goose Lays No Golden Eggs

Gordon Tomb
July 21, 2015

Gov. Wolf continues to promote a severance tax on natural gas, even as Pennsylvania energy companies report financial losses and job reductions. This week, Consol Energy projected…

Media

Education

Lawsuit Inspires Teacher to Speak Out

James Paul
July 20, 2015

Over the weekend, Adam Brandolph of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review penned an excellent story on James Williams, a Mercer County science teacher standing up for his rights against the Pennsylvania…

Media

PA Democrat Gov. Wolf’s Largest Tax Increase In History Rejected By Both Parties In The House 193-0

July 20, 2015

Topics on this page Pennsylvania…

Media Hit

Budget Debate Highlights Pennsylvania’s Need for Fundamental Tax and Pension Reform

July 20, 2015

Media Hit

School funding: Reform pensions

July 19, 2015

Media Hit

Taxes & Economy

A Severance Tax “Like Other States”? Not so fast

Nathan Benefield
July 17, 2015

Gov. Tom Wolf and special interest groups continue to insist Pennsylvania needs to enact a severance tax because “other states have one.” This, of course, ignores the fact that Pennsylvania…

Media

State Budget

Harrisburg is Ignoring the Biggest Budget Buster

July 17, 2015

Pop quiz: What’s the largest spending increase in Governor Tom Wolf’s budget proposal? You might assume education, as the governor has repeatedly insisted the state must reinvest in public schools.

Commentary

Some PA school districts missing out on $1 billion in state aid

July 16, 2015

Media Hit

Booze Monopoly, Billions In Tax Hikes At Stake In PA Budget Standoff

July 16, 2015

Media Hit

Public Union Democracy

A Double Shot of Liquid Courage

July 15, 2015

It shouldn’t take a double shot of liquid courage to finally end Prohibition in Pennsylvania. With pension deficits, revenue shortfalls, PLCB ethics violations, and consistent popular support, this should be…

Commentary

Wolf Wrong About Pensions & Downgrades

Nathan Benefield
July 14, 2015

Over the past week, Gov. Tom Wolf has been defending his vetoes of the state budget, pension reform, and liquor privatization, noting that rating agencies have been downgrading Pennsylvania’s…

Media

State Budget

Wolf Truth Squad: Property Tax Relief Now

Nathan Benefield
July 14, 2015

In a Patriot News story, Gov. Wolf’s spokesman Jeff Sheridan commented on need for immediate “property tax relief”—comments that don’t jibe with Gov. Wolf’s actual budget proposal. “Pennsylvanians don’t need property…

Media

State Budget

Audio: Severance Tax Hurts All

Jonathan Reginella
July 13, 2015

Nearly two weeks into the new fiscal year, and Pennsylvania is still without a budget after Gov. Wolf vetoed the Republicans’ proposal last month. The governor, whose own…

Media

Education

America Works (On Misleading the Public)

Nathan Benefield
July 13, 2015

America Works USA, an affiliate of the union-funded Democratic Governors Association, recently launched an ad campaign in support of Gov. Wolf’s effort to raise taxes on middle-…

Media

Gov. Wolf’s False Facts on Facebook

Matthew Brouillette
July 10, 2015

Governor Tom Wolf made it clear that he didn’t like anything in the budget that the General Assembly put on his desk on June 30—even though it mirrored about…

Media

Regulation

Wolf Repeating Same Mistakes of the Past

Nathan Benefield
July 9, 2015

Earlier this week, we pointed out how Gov. Tom Wolf’s veto of liquor privatization—using talking points from union leaders to justify his action—didn’t make much sense. Wolf’s reasoning…

Media

Education

When Desperation Sets In

James Paul
July 9, 2015

This is what desperation looks like. Gov. Tom Wolf recently visited Downingtown Area School District and claimed the no-tax-increase budget he recently vetoed “includes only $8 million…

Media

Regulation

Pension Reform Veto Costs Pennsylvanians Dearly

July 9, 2015

Pension Reform Veto Costs Pennsylvanians Dearly Public Employees & Middle Class Bear Consequences of Pension Inaction Good afternoon, Today, Governor Tom Wolf confirmed that he will veto historic pension…

Press Release

Taxes & Economy

Reprehensible

Nathan Benefield
July 9, 2015

In the Philadelphia Inquirer earlier this week, Gov. Tom Wolf uses strong rhetoric about his desire for a large severance tax increase. The governor responded by calling it…

Media