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.”
Public Union Democracy
Shapiro’s Project Labor Agreement Mandate
Summary Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) are pre-hire agreements between the government and a contractor that outline the terms and conditions for a certain project. Gov. Josh Shapiro wrote to state…
Fact Sheet
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Demand more from CT public sector union officials
Originally published at the Hartford Courant In Connecticut, getting a job in state government comes with strings attached. As soon as you’re hired, the state sends your contact information,…
Media Hit
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Shapiro’s energy proposals threaten affordable, reliable energy in Pa.
Originally published in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review In his op-ed “My commonsense plan for a new era of energy leadership in Pa.” (April 2, TribLive), Gov. Josh Shapiro…
Media Hit
Read More: Shapiro’s energy proposals threaten affordable, reliable energy in Pa.Public Union Democracy
Gov’t Unions Took Over Michigan. Now They’re Eyeing PA
Originally published at RealClearPennsylvania During the 2021–22 election cycle, an obstinately pro-government union majority took over Michigan’s state government after the four largest public employee unions …
Media Hit
Read More: Gov’t Unions Took Over Michigan. Now They’re Eyeing PAHealth Care
A Physician’s Misfortune Highlights What’s Wrong with Health Care
Originally published at RealClearHealth When Dr. Marion Mass got the distress call about her mother in the nursing home, she knew something was wrong. As a Pennsylvania-based pediatrician, Mass…
Media Hit
Read More: A Physician’s Misfortune Highlights What’s Wrong with Health CareEducation
Letter to the Editor – Educational Options
Originally published in The Philadelphia Inquirer The fight over educational choice is frustratingly politicized. Both sides duke it out in the public square, while students remain trapped in crumbling…
Media Hit
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Cutting cyber funding hurts Pennsylvania students
Originally published in The Mercury Gov. Josh Shapiro wants to cut funding to cyber charter schools. Other lawmakers, such as state Sen. Lindsey Williams, are seeking a moratorium on…
Media Hit
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Lawmakers’ ‘Grow PA’ Proposal Offers Serious Solutions for Higher Education
Harrisburg, Pa., April 11, 2024 — Yesterday, Pennsylvania Sens. Scott Martin, Ryan Aument, David Argall, and Tracy Pennycuick and Reps. Jesse Topper and Rob Mercuri introduced “Grow PA,” a higher…
Press Release
Read More: Lawmakers’ ‘Grow PA’ Proposal Offers Serious Solutions for Higher EducationHealth Care
Pa. House’s Passage of HB 1512 Is a Victory for Patients
Harrisburg, Pa., April 10, 2024 — Today, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed House Bill (HB) 1512 by a vote of 197 to 3. The Commonwealth Foundation applauds the passage of the…
Press Release
Read More: Pa. House’s Passage of HB 1512 Is a Victory for PatientsPublic Union Democracy
Gov. Shapiro’s labor agreements will harm workers and taxpayers
Originally published at The Patriot-News Gov. Josh Shapiro often brags about his competitive spirit. However, his recent directive to “evaluate and implement” Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) into…
Media Hit
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Commonwealth Foundation Survey Finds Inflation-Weary Voters Oppose Higher State Spending and Taxes
Harrisburg, Pa., April 9, 2024 — Inflation tops the list of Pennsylvania voter concerns in a new survey released today by the Commonwealth Foundation. The poll found taxpayers are weary of state…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Survey Finds Inflation-Weary Voters Oppose Higher State Spending and TaxesEducation
Governor’s campaign slogans won’t fix Pa.
Originally published at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Though elected in 2022, Gov. Josh Shapiro remains stuck in campaign mode, offering one empty platitude after another while avoiding the hard work…
Media Hit
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Regulatory Reforms Stalled in State House
Summary Gov. Josh Shapiro’s PAyback permit rebate program is a step forward. But alone, it is insufficient to fix Pennsylvania’s above-average regulatory burden. The governor says he wants to…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Regulatory Reforms Stalled in State HousePublic Union Democracy
What happened when a teacher spoke out?
In this episode of Disunion: The Government Union Report, host David Osborne interviews physical education teacher John Grande. Mr. Grande has been a teacher for 36 years. After expressing frustration…
Podcast
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Season 2, Episode 2 Featuring Keisha Jordan, President and CEO at Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia
An advocate turned school choice advocate, Keisha Jordan is a woman on a mission. In this episode of School Choice Report, host David Hardy and Ms. Jordan discuss charter school…
Podcast
Read More: Season 2, Episode 2 Featuring Keisha Jordan, President and CEO at Children’s Scholarship Fund PhiladelphiaEnergy
André Béliveau: Pennsylvania Governor Flirts with Reckless ‘Green’ Initiatives
André Béliveau Senior Manager of Energy Policy at the Commonwealth Foundation & Columnist at the National Review joins Dawn to break down his latest on PA & Shapiro. …
Media Hit
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PACER & PRESS Analysis
Overview Gov. Josh Shapiro campaigned on a healthy skepticism of carbon taxes before proposing his own carbon tax scheme. His new energy agenda centers around the Pennsylvania Climate…
Fact Sheet
Read More: PACER & PRESS AnalysisEducation
Commonwealth Foundation Launches Billboards Spotlighting Need for Lifeline Scholarships
Harrisburg, Pa., April 1, 2024 — The Commonwealth Foundation today launched several digital billboards across Philadelphia promoting the Lifeline Scholarship Program that would allow students to escape Pennsylvania’s lowest-performing schools. Kicking…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Launches Billboards Spotlighting Need for Lifeline ScholarshipsState Budget
‘Shrinkflation’ ignores the true problem: deficit spending
Originally published at the Allentown Morning Call President Joe Biden and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey deflect blame for high inflation away from the true cause: their own policies. They…
Media Hit
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It’s the year of school choice, as is every year to follow
Originally published at LNP Those involved in the educational freedom movement often proclaim, “This is our year.” Yet, we can’t agree on which year that is. Forbes and the…
Media Hit
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Pennsylvania Governor Flirts with Reckless ‘Green’ Initiatives
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is attempting to rebrand big-government environmental programs that threaten “the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians and the economic vitality of one of the nation’s…
Press Release
Read More: Pennsylvania Governor Flirts with Reckless ‘Green’ Initiatives