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.”
Taxes & Economy
Severance Tax Benefits the Powerful at Citizens’ Expense
Washington County farmer Shawn Georgetti was living paycheck to paycheck before the Marcellus Shale boom. Thanks to a natural gas lease, he’s finally been able to upgrade his 30-year-old equipment.
Commentary
Read More: Severance Tax Benefits the Powerful at Citizens’ Expense
A Marcellus shale severance tax would benefit the powerful unions at the expense of the citizenry
Media Hit
Read More: A Marcellus shale severance tax would benefit the powerful unions at the expense of the citizenryPublic Union Democracy
Paycheck Protection Debate Heats Up
In the statewide debate over paycheck protection, a pair of dueling letters to the editor in Lancaster County cut to the chase. First, a Mount Joy resident who received a…
Media
Read More: Paycheck Protection Debate Heats UpHealth Care
Five Reasons the Exchanges are Failing
Over 8 million Americans and 300,000 Pennsylvanians signed up for health insurance on the Obamacare exchanges according to data released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)…
Media
Read More: Five Reasons the Exchanges are Failing
Sign-ups doubled in Pennsylvania during the last month of enrollment
Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
Media Hit
Read More: Sign-ups doubled in Pennsylvania during the last month of enrollment
Credit check: PA treasurer uses expensive hotels when traveling
Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
Media Hit
Read More: Credit check: PA treasurer uses expensive hotels when travelingPublic Union Democracy
CBS Investigates: Government Unions & Politics
Last night, CBS 21’s Waste Watch program investigated how government unions use public resources to collect their members’ dues and spend that money on politics. Chris Papst reports: “Government…
Media
Read More: CBS Investigates: Government Unions & PoliticsRegulation
Will More Choice and Convenience Really Kill Your Kids?
In a move that reeks of desperation, the United Food and Commerical Workers Union (UFCW) released a new ad with a ridiculous message: liquor liberalization will kill your kids. …
Media
Read More: Will More Choice and Convenience Really Kill Your Kids?State Budget
Tax Cuts To Blame for Pennsylvania’s Budget Deficit?
As we have pointed out in the past, Pennsylvania’s legacy of overspending has created a looming deficit, threatening to destroy our fiscal house. Yet, some lawmakers and public officials…
Media
Read More: Tax Cuts To Blame for Pennsylvania’s Budget Deficit?
Corbett pushes pension reform to builders group, nods toward paycheck protection proposal
Media Hit
Read More: Corbett pushes pension reform to builders group, nods toward paycheck protection proposal
Public unions may be using funded resources illegally
Media Hit
Read More: Public unions may be using funded resources illegallyHealth Care
Poverty Isn’t a Partisan Problem
Here’s a sobering fact: 13.1 percent of Pennsylvanians live in poverty despite billions spent every year on the social safety net. Simply throwing more money at the problem won’t make…
Media
Read More: Poverty Isn’t a Partisan Problem
Share Your Obamacare Story
Hi, my name is Priya. I battle fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition. Only one drug dulls my pain, but without insurance, it costs $400 every month. I thought Obamacare…
Media
Read More: Share Your Obamacare StoryPublic Union Democracy
What’s Paycheck Protection Really All About?
A lot of ink has been spilled on paycheck protection already, but few people have summarized its essence as well as my colleague Katrina Anderson, CF’s Director of Government Affairs,…
Media
Read More: What’s Paycheck Protection Really All About?State Budget
S&P Worried About Pennsylvania’s Overspending
Standard & Poor’s is sounding the alarm, once again, on Pennsylvania’s record of overspending. A new S&P report singles out the commonwealth for not putting our fiscal house in order,…
Media
Read More: S&P Worried About Pennsylvania’s Overspending
Pennsylvania legislation would allow charters to open without permission from hostile school boards
Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
Media Hit
Read More: Pennsylvania legislation would allow charters to open without permission from hostile school boards
Minimum wage hikes kill jobs: PennLive letters
Topics on this page The Patriot-News…
Media Hit
Read More: Minimum wage hikes kill jobs: PennLive lettersGovernment Accountability
Happy Tax Freedom Day, Pennsylvania!
Happy Tax Freedom Day! It took from January 1 until today for Pennsylvanians to have earned enough income to pay off their federal, state, and local taxes for the year. …
Media
Read More: Happy Tax Freedom Day, Pennsylvania!