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
The kids are not all right
Originally published at Broad + Liberty Our children’s test scores are down. They haven’t even reached pre-Covid levels, which wasn’t anything to brag about then. And the students are…
Media Hit
Read More: The kids are not all right
New Pennsylvania Law Eliminates Job-Killing Hair Braiding Licensing Requirements
Harrisburg, PA, October 16, 2024 — Gov. Josh Shapiro today signed legislation freeing natural hair braiders from unnecessary and costly state licensing requirements. “Hair braiding licenses demonstrate how irrational state regulations…
Media
Read More: New Pennsylvania Law Eliminates Job-Killing Hair Braiding Licensing RequirementsEducation
How to Win Pennsylvania
Originally published at City Journal With its 19 electoral votes, Pennsylvania is the nation’s largest swing state. Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump have inundated the…
Media Hit
Read More: How to Win PennsylvaniaEducation
EITC Private School Tuition
Simple Tuition Solutions Simple Tuition Solutions (STS) processed scholarship applications for students attending 130 different private schools in 2023–24. The median tuition charge, of the 106 schools with tuition rates…
Fact Sheet
Read More: EITC Private School TuitionEducation
EITC: Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Archdiocese of Philadelphia The Archdiocese of Philadelphia (AOP) serves the five-county Philadelphia region—Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. AOP provides EITC and OSTC scholarships to an economically and racially…
Fact Sheet
Read More: EITC: Archdiocese of PhiladelphiaEducation
EITC Student Economic Data
Summary While no state agency collects comprehensive information regarding scholarship students’ family income or demographics, this report compiles data from scholarship providers and financial services providers to provide details about…
Fact Sheet
Read More: EITC Student Economic DataEducation
S2: E8 Featuring School Board Director Stacey Whomsley
In the latest episode of School Choice Report, host David Hardy sits down with Stacey Whomsley, a passionate school board director from the Westchester Area School District in Pennsylvania. Stacey…
Podcast
Read More: S2: E8 Featuring School Board Director Stacey WhomsleyEducation
David Hardy: What educational reform can learn from urban renewal
Harrisburg, Pa, October 8 — Pennsylvania leaders should leverage public-private sector partnerships, as Philadelphia did with successful urban renewal projects, to renew education in the city and across Pennsylvania, according to …
Press Release
Read More: David Hardy: What educational reform can learn from urban renewalEnergy
Solar Protectionism Is Anything But Sunny
Originally published at RealClearEnergy Bipartisanship is supposed to be sunny, but at the October 1 vice-presidential debate, it took a dark turn. J.D. Vance and Tim Walz …
Media Hit
Read More: Solar Protectionism Is Anything But SunnyEducation
New Poll Finds Pa. Voters Pessimistic About Direction of Country and Economic Future
Harrisburg, Pa., Oct. 8, 2024 — A new poll of Pennsylvania registered voters released today by the Commonwealth Foundation found inflation and rising costs are top concerns and elections for federal and…
Press Release
Read More: New Poll Finds Pa. Voters Pessimistic About Direction of Country and Economic FutureRegulation
Prevailing Wage in Pennsylvania
Summary Prevailing wage law dictates the minimum wage rates paid to workers on public construction projects if the project’s estimated costs exceed a certain threshold. Pennsylvania’s threshold for prevailing wage…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Prevailing Wage in PennsylvaniaPublic Union Democracy
Amendment One: Union Power, Politics, and the Future of Illinois Labor
Disunion: The Government Union Report’s David R. Osborne hosts Miley Smith, Senior Director of Labor Policy at the Illinois Policy Institute to discuss the impact of Illinois’ Amendment One –…
Podcast
Read More: Amendment One: Union Power, Politics, and the Future of Illinois LaborEnergy
André Béliveau Joins the Dawn Stensland Show to discuss the current energy policy landscape
Commonwealth Foundation Senior Manager of Energy Policy André Béliveau joins the Dawn Stensland Show to discuss the current energy policy landscape. Topics on this pageDawn Stensland-MendteEnergy…
Media Hit
Read More: André Béliveau Joins the Dawn Stensland Show to discuss the current energy policy landscapeEnergy
Private investment—not subsidies—will empower Pennsylvania’s nuclear energy
Originally published at The Patriot-News Three Mile Island (TMI), the site of the infamous 1979 non-lethal reactor incident, may soon see new life—thanks to private investment. On…
Media Hit
Read More: Private investment—not subsidies—will empower Pennsylvania’s nuclear energyEducation
What educational reform can learn from urban renewal
Originally published at The Philadelphia Inquirer During my daily travels, I drive by the Sharswood neighborhood, just north of Girard College, where I work. Over the years, I’ve watched…
Media Hit
Read More: What educational reform can learn from urban renewalEnergy
Restarting Three Mile Island: Quick Facts
Quick Facts On September 20, 2024, Constellation Energy entered a 20-year agreement with Microsoft to restart Three Mile Island’s (TMI) unit one reactor, renaming the facility “Crane Clean Energy…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Restarting Three Mile Island: Quick FactsEducation
Rachel Langan Guests on Lincoln Radio Journal to discuss EITC’s
You can hear this interview and more at www.lincolninstitute.org Topics on this pageEarned income tax creditLincoln Radio JournalPublic policyRachel Langan…
Media Hit
Read More: Rachel Langan Guests on Lincoln Radio Journal to discuss EITC’s
Andrew Lewis in Newsweek: Lowering the Cost of Living Key to Winning Keystone State
Harrisburg, Pa, Sept. 25 – With the presidential election just weeks away and Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes up for grabs, the cost-of-living crisis is the most prominent issue for Pennsylvanians, wrote…
Media
Read More: Andrew Lewis in Newsweek: Lowering the Cost of Living Key to Winning Keystone StateEducation
Commonwealth Foundation names Andrew Lewis as new president and CEO
Originally published at Broad + Liberty The Commonwealth Foundation, a think tank focused on “transforming free-market ideas into actionable public policies,” appointed Andrew Lewis, a former Pennsylvania state representative…
Media Hit
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation names Andrew Lewis as new president and CEOEnergy
Gov. Shapiro’s permitting reforms are not enough
Originally published at The Mercury Gov. Josh Shapiro brags about making Pennsylvania “open for business” and “competitive as hell.” He recently tweeted, “We’ve cut red…
Media Hit
Read More: Gov. Shapiro’s permitting reforms are not enoughRegulation
Pennsylvania workers cannot afford to lose U.S. Steel
Originally published at The Patriot-News For 123 years, U.S. Steel (USS) has operated in Pennsylvania and has been synonymous with the Keystone State. Pittsburgh, aptly named the “Steel…
Media Hit
Read More: Pennsylvania workers cannot afford to lose U.S. Steel