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
100,000+ Improperly Get Pa. Med Benefits
Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare testified that hundreds of thousands of individuals were improperly receiving Medicaid, taxpayer-funded health care for the poor and the disabled. Capitolwire writes:…
Media
Read More: 100,000+ Improperly Get Pa. Med BenefitsGovernment Accountability
Government Unions Steal Worker Freedom
Pennsylvania is one of 28 states in which workers can be compelled to give part of their paycheck to a union just to keep their job. Moreover, even non-membership is…
Commentary
Read More: Government Unions Steal Worker FreedomGovernment Accountability
Pennsylvania’s Government Unions
Pennsylvania is a forced union state, meaning that workers can be forced to join a union or pay a "fair share fee" just to keep their job. Most government units…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Government UnionsEducation
Pa. Kids are Learning ZIP!
You’ve heard of A Tale of Two Cities? Well, how about the tale of two city blocks? For 82,000 kids trapped in violent and failing…
Media
Read More: Pa. Kids are Learning ZIP!Education
34 Seconds of Truth Vs. $2 million of Fallacy
It’s getting late in Harrisburg and defenders of the education status quo are pulling out all the stops in order to thwart a rescue of 82,000…
Media
Read More: 34 Seconds of Truth Vs. $2 million of FallacyEducation
Facts vs. Silly Rhetoric on School Choice
Tonight, I am speaking at a forum on school choice, and wanted to find some absurd, outlandish, and easily refuted claims from school choice opponents to lead with. Thanks…
Media
Read More: Facts vs. Silly Rhetoric on School ChoiceRegulation
Did Union Boss Young Read Wrong Liquor Study?
The union boss who earns nearly $300,000 each year by forcing liquor store employees to pay dues to his union released a statement regarding the PFM group’s report…
Media
Read More: Did Union Boss Young Read Wrong Liquor Study?Regulation
Highlights from Governor’s Liquor Privatization Summary
Gov. Tom Corbett released a long-awaited study from The PFM Group on state liquor store privatization. Click here for the full study (nearly 300 pages), or here to get…
Media
Read More: Highlights from Governor’s Liquor Privatization SummaryEducation
WIFM? All the Difference in the World
As Gov. Corbett and the General Assembly consider a package of education reform bills, some legislators are asking “What’s in it for me?” The WIFM question isn’t necessarily selfish or…
Media
Read More: WIFM? All the Difference in the WorldEducation
Rep.: Pa. Ed Needs 1st Class Not Third-World Results
One of the most controversial and emotional issues facing our Commonwealth involves the future of the education system. The media's attempt to reduce nearly every major complicated issue…
Commentary
Read More: Rep.: Pa. Ed Needs 1st Class Not Third-World ResultsEducation
School Choice Saves, School Choice Sells
Harrisburg is atwitter this morning as the Senate Education Committee is voting on school choice legislation. Let’s quickly rebut three myths that are circulating: School choice saves money. It’s…
Media
Read More: School Choice Saves, School Choice SellsEducation
Ackerman: School Choice Necessary to Reform Failing Schools
In case you missed it, former Philadelphia superintendent Arlene Ackerman emphatically endorsed vouchers and an expanded charter school system as the best way to rescue kids in failing schools. She writes:…
Media
Read More: Ackerman: School Choice Necessary to Reform Failing SchoolsEducation
Want a 70% Approval Rating?
Let’s be real. One of the things that often gets CF into trouble is that from the outside, it seems like we never need to worry about whether the free-market…
Media
Read More: Want a 70% Approval Rating?Regulation
Will Liquor Liberty Have to Wait Another Year?
The Patriot News obtained a draft copy of the forthcoming study on liquor store privatization commissioned by Gov. Tom Corbett. According to the story, the report predicts auctioning…
Media
Read More: Will Liquor Liberty Have to Wait Another Year?
Study: Erie Schools Among Most Violent, Failing in State
Media Hit
Read More: Study: Erie Schools Among Most Violent, Failing in StateEducation
School Choice: Accountable and Successful
Here is a recent letter I submitted to the Delaware County Times: A recent story carries the title, “Educators oppose guv’s voucher plan,” though the story quotes no…
Media
Read More: School Choice: Accountable and SuccessfulTaxes & Economy
Blame Game No Jobs Gain
Pennsylvania House Democrats put out an email blaming Gov. Corbett and Republicans for a lousy economy: Since Republicans passed the Corbett budget in June, unemployment in Pennsylvania has risen more…
Media
Read More: Blame Game No Jobs GainRegulation
Knowles’ Bill Puts Taxpayers Above Special Interests
Liquor store union president Wendell Young appears to be on a campaign to discredit any lawmaker that favors removing the state’s monopoly stranglehold over liquor sales. You can…
Media
Read More: Knowles’ Bill Puts Taxpayers Above Special InterestsTaxes & Economy
Pennsylvania Natural Gas Jobs Doubled in Last Three Years
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry released their latest Marcellus Shale Fast Facts, illustrating the important economic stimulus that drilling represents to the commonwealth. Key Findings Include: Marcellus…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Natural Gas Jobs Doubled in Last Three YearsEducation
Willie and Penny Can’t Read
We'll call them Willie, Penny, Ben and Frankie, four public school students from Philadelphia, Reading, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, respectively. If they don't drop out of school and become clients of…
Commentary
Read More: Willie and Penny Can’t Read