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.”
Health Care
How Much Will Obama’s Health Care Cost You?
How much will the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) cost you? Our new policy points look at the cost Pennsylvanians will shoulder under the sweeping health care reform law.
Media
Read More: How Much Will Obama’s Health Care Cost You?Public Union Democracy
Mailbag: Why Not Pay for Unused Sick Days?
Our post last week highlighting WGAL’s story on government workers receiving hefty payouts for unused sick days sparked a lively discussion. Here’s a question that popped up frequently: Do…
Media
Read More: Mailbag: Why Not Pay for Unused Sick Days?Taxes & Economy
Happy 225th Birthday, U.S. Constitution!
Today marks the 225th birthday of the U.S. Constitution, and while it may be getting up there in years, the principles it sets forth are no less relevant today than…
Media
Read More: Happy 225th Birthday, U.S. Constitution!Health Care
Pennsylvania Medicaid Spending and the Affordable Care Act
Current Medicaid spending trends are unsustainable. Medicaid spending (Medical Assistance and Long Term Care) consumes about 30 percent of Pennsylvania's total state operating budget. In the past decade, Medicaid spending…
Memo
Read More: Pennsylvania Medicaid Spending and the Affordable Care ActHealth Care
The Affordable Care Act: Pennsylvania’s Costs
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—often dubbed "Obamacare"—will cost Americans $1.2 trillion from 2012 to 2022 according to the Congressional Budget Office. These projections do not account for the…
Fact Sheet
Read More: The Affordable Care Act: Pennsylvania’s Costs
Liquor Control Board calls consumer-friendly plan ‘Convenience 2020’
Topics on this page Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board…
Media Hit
Read More: Liquor Control Board calls consumer-friendly plan ‘Convenience 2020’
State expects to spend millions in attempt to repair finances at 4 school districts
Media Hit
Read More: State expects to spend millions in attempt to repair finances at 4 school districtsHealth Care
Medicaid Reform Saves Families
Laureny Sanchez is a widowed mother of four, including 14-year-old twin Alan, who suffers from a tumor on his pituitary gland, heart problems and other medical issues. Under regular Medicaid,…
Media
Read More: Medicaid Reform Saves Families
Letters: Just throwing money at education?
Media Hit
Read More: Letters: Just throwing money at education?
4th District debate sounds familiar notes on economy, Libya
Media Hit
Read More: 4th District debate sounds familiar notes on economy, LibyaEducation
How Pennsylvania Teachers Salaries Stack Up
If the Chicago teachers union walk-out on school children or the WGAL story on sick-time pay has you wondering about teacher salaries in Pennsylvania, you’re in luck. Our…
Media
Read More: How Pennsylvania Teachers Salaries Stack UpRegulation
Mailbag: What Bills Would Fireproof Economy?
One of our PolicyBlog readers asks: What bills would help address the Four Alarm Fire you keep speaking about? Here are a few bills we have been tracking: Taxpayer…
Media
Read More: Mailbag: What Bills Would Fireproof Economy?Taxes & Economy
3 Reasons Marcellus Gas Tax Misses Mark
A new report shows that Marcellus Shale drillers will dole out $206 million to satisfy the state’s tax (or “impact fee”) on natural gas production in 2011. The…
Media
Read More: 3 Reasons Marcellus Gas Tax Misses MarkWelfare
Corbett Rejects Ruinous Welfare Reverse-Reform
Gov. Tom Corbett has rejected the Obama administration’s waiver to water down welfare work requirements in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. In a letter to the…
Media
Read More: Corbett Rejects Ruinous Welfare Reverse-ReformEducation
“Mighty” Teachers’ Union Strikes Chicago
Some 25,000 members of the Chicago Teachers’ Union (CTU) went on strike today, leaving 400,000 students out of school and parents scrambling to find safe places for their children to…
Media
Read More: “Mighty” Teachers’ Union Strikes ChicagoPublic Union Democracy
Why Cities Fail
Harrisburg is broke. Literally. So are 26 other cities across the commonwealth that are stuck in the state's Act 47 program for financially strapped municipalities. Many enter in – like…
Commentary
Read More: Why Cities Fail
Panel debates best approach to Pa.’s $40 billion pension hole
Media Hit
Read More: Panel debates best approach to Pa.’s $40 billion pension hole