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.”
Education
Senate Passes Furlough Bill, but Keeps “Last In First Out”
Today, the Pennsylvania Senate passed SB 612 by a 38-12 count. The bill, sponsored by Senator Folmer, would give school districts the ability to furlough teachers and other school…
Media
Read More: Senate Passes Furlough Bill, but Keeps “Last In First Out”State Budget
PA House GOP Outlines Budget Proposal
The House Republicans unveiled their Pennsylvania State Budget Proposal yesterday, HB 1485. The bill is set for an Appropriations Committee vote this week, and a full House vote…
Media
Read More: PA House GOP Outlines Budget ProposalRegulation
A Penny Saved or a Penny Burned?
For any family, saving a few dollars for the future and paying off credit card bills would be the fiscally prudent path. Likewise, state lawmakers should resist the temptation to…
Commentary
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Fiscal conservatives give Gov. Tom Corbett’s Liberty Loan Fund idea a failing grade
Topics on this page Tom Corbett…
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Corbett’s Case for School Choice
Gov. Tom Corbett delivered the following speech at the American Federation for Children conference at the Washington Marriott in Washington D.C. on Monday, May 9, 2011. What isn’t working about public…
Media
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PA House Passes Expansion of Scholarship Tax Credit
The Pennsylvania House today passed, on a 190-7 vote, HB 1330, which would expand the amount of tax credits available through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC), and increase income…
Media
Read More: PA House Passes Expansion of Scholarship Tax CreditEducation
Bad Economists and Good Budget Cuts
Yesterday in the Patriot-News, yet another Penn State administrator campaigned against Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed cuts to the generous subsidies our public universities receive from taxpayers (many of which…
Media
Read More: Bad Economists and Good Budget CutsEducation
Of School Choice and Government-Run Swimming Pools
Responding to a letter I wrote, a letter in the Allentown Morning Call attempts to make the case that school vouchers are a bad idea—using the rationale that…
Media
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Pennsylvania budget ideas: Matthew Brouillette
Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
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Should States Stop Regulating Telephones?
Land line use in the United States continues to decline as more households are going “wireless” and relying exclusively on their cell phones. About 17 percent of Pennsylvania households…
Media
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Should Government be Required to Advertise in Newspapers?
We were recently asked to sign onto a letter opposing HB 633, legislation which would allow local governments to post public notices online, rather than buy advertisements in local…
Media
Read More: Should Government be Required to Advertise in Newspapers?Taxes & Economy
Economic Pitfalls of Taxing Marcellus Shale
The facts are that in Pennsylvania, Marcellus drillers contributed more than $15 billion in capital investment and have paid in excess of $5 billion in royalties to landowners not including…
Commentary
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Directors fear business-run public schools
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On School Spending “Cuts”
A reader writes in, noting that a school board member is pushing the “stop the billion dollar cut” campaign, and asking for some info. Here are some quick facts.
Media
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What Does “Fair Share” Mean?
The debate over adding an additional tax (or an impact fee) on top of the…
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School Choice Hypocrisy at Solanco Public Schools
The Solanco School District in Lancaster County wants to buy-off parents who are choosing charter schools for their children with their own $1,000 taxpayer-funded voucher if they switch…
Media
Read More: School Choice Hypocrisy at Solanco Public SchoolsTaxes & Economy
Natural Gas Taxes and Fees
The Marcellus Shale is a large and difficult-to-drill geological formation roughly a mile or more underground throughout more than two-thirds of Pennsylvania that contains natural gas.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Natural Gas Taxes and FeesGovernment Accountability
Reining in Spending with Performance-Based Budgeting
The House State Government Committee held a hearing today on reforming the budgeting process. HB 726, sponsored by Rep. Stan Saylor, would institute performance based-budgeting. Today, most of the…
Media
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