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.”
Decisions in early 2000s created pension woes for Penn-Trafford schools
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A Fair Funding Formula: School Choice
Although it doesn’t fit the popular narrative of cash-starved school districts, spending on education is at an all-time high. The Pennsylvania Department of Education budget reached $11.2 billion in FY…
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The Government Union Billion Dollar Tax Hike
In 2012, Americans paid more in taxes than they did for food, clothing and shelter combined. In Pennsylvania, residents labor under the 10th highest tax burden in the…
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Students Win over Seniority Laws
Big news out of California, where a state judge struck down that state’s teacher seniority and tenure laws. The lawsuit was filed by 9 students who believed that…
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For Union Leaders, the Law Doesn’t Apply
Pennsylvania's government union executives should be at the top of any list of political power players in Harrisburg. With the kind of influence that millions in campaign contributions and political…
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My Obamacare Agony
I thought I was lucky. The last day to sign up for Obamacare had arrived, and I’d managed to purchase a plan on the national Obamacare exchange. I was just…
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An Inconvenient Truth: School Spending & Revenue at All-Time Highs
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Contrary to Cries of Desperation, District Revenue & Spending are at All-Time Highs Spending on Salaries Dwarfed by Pension Costs…
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Survey of school districts says property taxes likely to keep rising
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LETTER: Check the facts about teachers’ union dues
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John K. Manna: Lagging revenues create budget woes
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Paycheck protection measure is a matter of principle
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CF, Teachers & Taxpayers Speak Up for Paycheck Protection
CF President Matt Brouillette, Keith Williams and Kristi Lacroix—two public school teachers—along with a host of good government and business groups testified yesterday before a House committee in favor of…
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Union Leaders Lie to Lawmakers
While public school teachers, taxpayer advocates and business leaders supporting paycheck protection answered pointed questions yesterday from lawmakers, government union executives refused to attend the House…
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Union Executives Refuse to Answer Lawmakers’ Questions
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-6971-1901 Union Executives Refuse to Answer Lawmakers’ Questions Provides Deceptive Testimony June 6, 2014, Philadelphia, Pa – While public…
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Claiming principle, Pa. lawmakers clash over $100 expense
Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
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Paycheck Protection Hits the Airwaves
What would you do if the government spent your tax dollars to promote politics you disagreed with? In Pennsylvania, that’s exactly what’s happening, and it is the subject of our…
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Paycheck Protection Supporters Rally at the Capitol
Yesterday, hundreds of concerned citizens packed the Capitol rotunda to voice their support for paycheck protection legislation. Watch TV reports from ABC27 and CBS21 to see the impressive…
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The Case for Paycheck Protection
Thank you Chairman Metcalfe and members of the committee for the opportunity to testify on the policy question of whether or not Pennsylvania should continue to allow one special interest…
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CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISTS TO PA LEGISLATURE: STOP USING PUBLIC FUNDS ON UNION POLITICAL AGENDAS
Topics on this page Pennsylvania State Senate…
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