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
By the Way, Residents Don’t Like High Taxes
Dr. Antony Davies, a member of CF’s Council of Scholars, and John Pulito add to the growing body of research showing higher state taxes drive out residents. Their new study,…
Media
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State Capitol restoration costs questioned
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Dauphin County sports complex brings mixed reviews
Topics on this page Dauphin County…
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Read More: Dauphin County sports complex brings mixed reviewsHealth Care
Changing the Incentives in Medicaid
Medicaid spending is set to skyrocket under the federal health care overhaul in the next two years, but it already consumes 31 percent of Pennsylvania’s budget. It is no…
Media
Read More: Changing the Incentives in MedicaidPublic Union Democracy
New Polling Shows 72 Percent of Pennsylvanians Support Right to Work
New polling conducted by Douglas E. Schoen, LLC for the Manhattan Institute nationally and in 10 targeted states shows widespread bipartisan support to reduce state government spending rather than…
Media
Read More: New Polling Shows 72 Percent of Pennsylvanians Support Right to WorkTaxes & Economy
State Regulators are Best Equipped to Monitor Drilling
Congress is considering the FRAC Act, legislation to transfer hydraulic fracturing oversight from states to the Environmental Protection Agency, but the EPA has already proved itself incapable of the…
Media
Read More: State Regulators are Best Equipped to Monitor DrillingRegulation
Wasteful Wine Wizards Cork Kiosk Caper!
Put a cork in it! That’s apparently what the Sultans of Syrah said suddenly today as they will pull the putrid pinot plug on the wasteful wine kiosk catastrophe.
Media
Read More: Wasteful Wine Wizards Cork Kiosk Caper!Regulation
Public-Private Parking Prevents Tax Hikes
Facing immense fiscal and political pressures, many local governments are looking for ways to fund services without raising taxes. But officials need not curb their enthusiasm for fiscal responsibility if…
Commentary
Read More: Public-Private Parking Prevents Tax HikesRegulation
13 Reasons Why Government-Sold Booze Fails
America was built upon a free-market system where citizens were free to make purchasing decisions in a competitive market without excessive government oversight or taxation. Sadly, that's not true for…
Poll
Read More: 13 Reasons Why Government-Sold Booze FailsEducation
SAT Scores by State, 2011
EDITORS NOTE: Click here for the 2014 SAT Scores by state Every year, the College Board puts out SAT scores by state, but only in PDF format. Since…
Media
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Government workers’ pay must reflect private sector
Media Hit
Read More: Government workers’ pay must reflect private sectorTaxes & Economy
Drilling Bans Hurt Low-income Families
Some local communities, such as affluent Peters Township, are seeking local bans on drilling in the name of environmental protection, but these unnecessary bans would hinder the ability…
Media
Read More: Drilling Bans Hurt Low-income FamiliesEducation
Teacher Qualifications vs. Teacher Effectiveness
Teachers are an important factor affecting student performance, and teacher salaries make up the biggest chunk of public school spending. So ensuring that the best teachers instruct our kids should…
Media
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Frackophobes With Egg on Their Face
While Pennsylvania dealt with the realities of floods last week, frackophobic Penn Environment exploited the disaster by flooding the blogosphere with fear through positing a picture that led…
Media
Read More: Frackophobes With Egg on Their FaceRegulation
Cabernet Kings Couldn’t Count!
All together now, Pennsylvania: Ninety-nine bottle of booze in a box, 99 bottles of booze, blow in a tube, look like a rube, still 99 bottles of booze in a…
Media
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HUD secretary visit met with skepticism
Topics on this page United States Department of Housing and Urban Development…
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LCB continues to take heat over troubled wine kiosk program
Media Hit
Read More: LCB continues to take heat over troubled wine kiosk programEducation
Do Public Schools Need More Construction Spending?
One of the supposed benefits of President Obama’s “Jobs Bill” (despite demands to “pass it now”, the jobs bill has not yet…
Media
Read More: Do Public Schools Need More Construction Spending?Regulation
Licensing Regulations Drives Out Entrepreneurs
A Morning Call article brings to light the anti-entrepreneurship policy of occupational licensing. The article focuses on fines imposed on folks trying, in most cases, to earn a living:…
Media
Read More: Licensing Regulations Drives Out Entrepreneurs