Erik Telford

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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.” 

Regulation

Audio: Gov. Wolf’s Vetoes Keep the Status Quo Alive

  • Jonathan Reginella
  • July 8, 2015

Gov. Wolf promised to be a governor who would eliminate Pennsylvania’s destructive status quo. So how did he respond when state legislators put a budget without tax increases, a bill…

Media

Read More: Audio: Gov. Wolf’s Vetoes Keep the Status Quo Alive

Education

Fixated on Tax Increases

  • July 8, 2015

At the end of last month, Gov. Wolf vetoed the Republicans’ budget, criticizing it for failing to meet his lofty goals of closing the structural deficit, increasing education funding…

Media

Read More: Fixated on Tax Increases

Education

The Illustrated Pennsylvania State Budget

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 8, 2015

There’s a lot of misinformation being thrown around about the Pennsylvania state budget and education spending. While folk are entitled to their own opinions, they aren’t entitled to their own…

Media

Read More: The Illustrated Pennsylvania State Budget

Public Union Democracy

Wolf’s ‘My Way or the Highway’ Approach Blocks Progress

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • July 7, 2015

In his 2015 budget address, Gov. Tom Wolf urged dissenters, “If you don’t agree with my ideas, here is my request: please come with your own ideas. It's not good…

Commentary

Read More: Wolf’s ‘My Way or the Highway’ Approach Blocks Progress

Government Accountability

Transparency 10 Years after the Pay Raise

  • Elizabeth Stelle, James Paul
  • July 7, 2015

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the midnight pay raise. Although it was ultimately repealed, the pay raise was a dark hour in Pennsylvania political history. Over the…

Media

Read More: Transparency 10 Years after the Pay Raise

Education

Ink Running Dry on Wolf?s Veto Pen

  • James Paul
  • July 6, 2015

Gov. Tom Wolf’s veto pen may be running out of ink.  In the span of one week, Pennsylvania’s “different kind of governor” vetoed a no-tax-hike budget, liquor privatization,…

Media

Read More: Ink Running Dry on Wolf?s Veto Pen

Public Union Democracy

Gov. Wolf Does Understand Economics

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 6, 2015

Last Thursday, Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed legislation passed by the general assembly that would allow private retailers to sell wine and liquor. As my colleague Bob pointed out,…

Media

Read More: Gov. Wolf Does Understand Economics

Poor Excuses Used to Prolong PLCB’s Power

  • July 6, 2015

Gov. Wolf missed an opportunity to be a different kind of governor. He was positioned to finally end the corrupt and inefficient state-controlled liquor system. He opted…

Media

Read More: Poor Excuses Used to Prolong PLCB’s Power

Regulation

Wolf Vetoes Liquor Independence

  • July 2, 2015

Wolf Vetoes Liquor Independence Refuses to Separate Booze and State Governor Wolf today vetoed legislation to finally end Pennsylvania’s Prohibition-era, government-run monopoly of wine and spirits. “Governor Wolf…

Press Release

Read More: Wolf Vetoes Liquor Independence

Regulation

Growing Bipartisan Support for Municipal Pension Reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 2, 2015

On Tuesday, a task force spearheaded by Auditor General Eugene DePasquale released its recommendation for municipal pension reform. The report recommends, among other things, more transparency and accountability in municipal…

Media

Read More: Growing Bipartisan Support for Municipal Pension Reform

Public Union Democracy

Pivotal Pension Reform Passes to Wolf

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 1, 2015

Yesterday, the General Assembly passed landmark legislation to free homeowners from skyrocketing property taxes, make school budgets go further, and protect public employees from politics. SB 1 bill reforms…

Media

Read More: Pivotal Pension Reform Passes to Wolf

Regulation

One Signature Will End PA’s Prohibition

  • July 1, 2015

The Pennsylvania legislature made history yesterday. For the first time since the creation of the state-controlled liquor system in 1933, both houses of the General Assembly voted to remove government…

Media

Read More: One Signature Will End PA’s Prohibition

Education

Gov. Wolf, Don’t Raises Taxes on Working People

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 1, 2015

My letter to the editor in the Pocono Record tackles some of the myths about educations spending and Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed tax increase—and why, after the House of Represented rejected…

Media

Read More: Gov. Wolf, Don’t Raises Taxes on Working People

State Budget

Wolf Plays Politics of the Past with Budget Veto

  • July 1, 2015

Wolf Plays Politics of the Past with Budget Veto Governor’s Own Plan Grossly out of Step with 49 Other States July 1, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Within hours of receiving the…

Press Release

Read More: Wolf Plays Politics of the Past with Budget Veto

Regulation

Pension Reform Promises Fair,Sustainable Retirement for State Workers

  • July 1, 2015

Pension Reform Promises Fair,Sustainable Retirement for State Workers Protects New Employees’ Retirements from Political Manipulation Last night, the Pennsylvania Legislature sent a monumental public pension reform measure to…

Press Release

Read More: Pension Reform Promises Fair,Sustainable Retirement for State Workers

Regulation

Pa Legislature Passes Historic Liquor Privatization

  • July 1, 2015

Pa Legislature Passes Historic Liquor Privatization Only Governor Wolf Stands in the Way of Ending State’s Prohibition-Era Booze Monopoly Last night, the Pennsylvania General Assembly sent historic liquor privatization…

Press Release

Read More: Pa Legislature Passes Historic Liquor Privatization