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
Liquor Privatization Saves Lives? Part II
Public safety improved in Washington state after liquor store privatization, we told you back in July. As further data comes in, the results continue to impress: Most state alcohol-related…
Media
Read More: Liquor Privatization Saves Lives? Part IIEducation
Cyber School Centers Embrace Community Values
Cyber schools have been falsely maligned as impersonal and anti-social environments for learning, but the truth is far different. Case in point: Achievement House Cyber Charter School is bringing blended…
Media
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Teachers on Union Exploitation, Podcast Part 1
Julie Raab and Keith Williams are speaking out about how union influence affects their teaching jobs. Keith teaches high school English in Conewago Valley School District in Adams…
Media
Read More: Teachers on Union Exploitation, Podcast Part 1Health Care
I Can’t Keep My Health Care Plan
“If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan.” That was President Obama’s promise to Americans. He broke it. I buy my own health insurance—I…
Media
Read More: I Can’t Keep My Health Care PlanEducation
Podcast: Teachers on Union Exploitation – Part 2
Julie Raab and Keith Williams are speaking out about how union influence affects their teaching jobs. They, and many teachers across the state, are fed up with Pennsylvania’s unfair…
Media
Read More: Podcast: Teachers on Union Exploitation – Part 2Education
Voters Support Education Reform
Pennsylvania parents and voters want education reform. A new poll from StudentsFirst shows that Pennsylvania families strongly support educational reforms, including incentives for high performing teachers (74 percent support),…
Media
Read More: Voters Support Education ReformPublic Union Democracy
Time to End Union Violence
Did you know that it’s illegal to stalk, harass, or threaten to use violence (and yes, weapons of mass destruction) in Pennsylvania…except if you’re a labor union (or management) in…
Media
Read More: Time to End Union ViolenceTaxes & Economy
Unions, Democrats Link Transportation to Philly Schools Funding
For months, state capitol pundits have complained about a “linkage” between votes on transportation funding and liquor store privatization. Indeed, government unions lobbied with taxpayer resources to try to…
Media
Read More: Unions, Democrats Link Transportation to Philly Schools FundingPublic Union Democracy
Unions Fight to Block $40 Million in Taxpayer Savings
Pennsylvania legislative leaders continue discussions over increasing transportation funding. In return for higher spending, some negotiators are seeking modest, common sense reforms to the prevailing wage law. These reforms would…
Media
Read More: Unions Fight to Block $40 Million in Taxpayer Savings
Corbett not giving up on getting state out of booze business
Media Hit
Read More: Corbett not giving up on getting state out of booze businessRegulation
We Just Lowered the Debt Ceiling
Yesterday, House and Senate leaders came together to negotiate a deal—that passed with bipartisan support in both chambers—to reduce our debt ceiling. If that sounds unbelievable, I should…
Media
Read More: We Just Lowered the Debt CeilingPublic Union Democracy
Mail Bag: Union Political Spending
Several readers, in response to Nate’s op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer, wrote us claiming “Union dues can’t fund politics.” But that’s just not true. How do we know this?…
Media
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The ObamaCare treatment: Hold on to your wallets
Topics on this page Affordable Care Act…
Media Hit
Read More: The ObamaCare treatment: Hold on to your walletsEducation
Podcast: Teachers on Union Exploitation – Part 1
Julie Raab and Keith Williams are speaking out about how union influence affects their teaching jobs. They, and many teachers across the state, are fed up with Pennsylvania's unfair…
Media
Read More: Podcast: Teachers on Union Exploitation – Part 1Public Union Democracy
Let Commonsense Prevail
An archaic Pennsylvania law may be stretching your school district’s budget or preventing a construction project in your area from getting off the ground. The law in question is the…
Media
Read More: Let Commonsense PrevailRegulation
Tired of D.C. Partisanship? Here’s an Issue that Unites Most Americans
The political divide in Washington, D.C., may be wider than ever, but a recent alliance between a progressive news site and a free-market think tank in Pennsylvania shows Americans of…
Commentary
Read More: Tired of D.C. Partisanship? Here’s an Issue that Unites Most Americans