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.”
Pennsylvania pension ‘bailout’ proposal assailed
Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
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Read More: Pennsylvania pension ‘bailout’ proposal assailedPublic Union Democracy
School Union Continues to Deceive Its Members
Matt wrote earlier about the millions of dollars public sector unions have poured in political campaigns to get their union pension bailout.
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Read More: School Union Continues to Deceive Its MembersRegulation
Union Campaign Cash for HB 2497
Who is not aware that the natural gas industry gave tons of campaign cash to elected officials in PA? Very few, as the media loved to tell that story…
Media
Read More: Union Campaign Cash for HB 2497
If Teachers Only Knew…
I know teachers. I used to be one, in fact. And I know that no teacher would knowingly steal from his kids and grandkids. That's why I am appalled that…
Commentary
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Some worry cut in film tax credits will slow local movie-making
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Read More: Some worry cut in film tax credits will slow local movie-makingRegulation
13 Reasons to Oppose HB 2497
Pennsylvania's largest public pension plans—Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS) and State Employees Retirement System (SERS)—are severely underfunded. But instead of reforming the defined-benefit pension system and paying down these…
Fact Sheet
Read More: 13 Reasons to Oppose HB 2497
The voters have spoken, and they want results
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Read More: The voters have spoken, and they want results
House lawmakers to reconvene Monday for vote on bills
Topics on this page United States House of Representatives…
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Cliff Notes on the Union Pension Bailout Bill
If you are having trouble digesting everything about what’s wrong with House Bill 2497, the Union Pension Bailout Bill, then here are four simple reasons. The Cliff Notes version, if…
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Pa. House to return for vote Monday
Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
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Read More: Pa. House to return for vote MondayGovernment Accountability
Action Alert: Help Stop the Union Pension Bailout
Dear CF Friend, We’ve just learned that the Pennsylvania House will be returning on Monday for a lame duck session, and will likely vote on a union…
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Read More: Action Alert: Help Stop the Union Pension Bailout
Blog Roundup
Here are some recent posts found on the free market blogosphere: The Allegheny Institute laughs at Pittsburgh’s new budget. The reason states will drop Medicaid is explained by…
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Read More: Blog RoundupGovernment Accountability
Newspapers Decry Union Pension Bailout by Lame Duck PA House
Today, Speaker McCall called the Pennsylvania House back into voting session on November 15th. Members are expected to vote a couple of key pieces of legislation including the ill-conceived…
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Read More: Newspapers Decry Union Pension Bailout by Lame Duck PA HouseRegulation
Privatizing State Liquor Stores is a Real Possibility
After years of discussion, it appears the tides have finally turned in favor of privatizing Pennsylvania’s liquor stores. With a newly GOP controlled legislature, support for the policy is…
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Read More: Privatizing State Liquor Stores is a Real PossibilityTaxes & Economy
PennVEST Approves the Pipeline to Nowhere
Yesterday, the PennVEST board met in a crowded room and voted to approve an “emergency application” to construct a 12-mile pipeline to about 14 homes with a $11.7 million taxpayer-funded…
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Read More: PennVEST Approves the Pipeline to NowhereState Budget
Pennsylvania State Budget is Larger than You Think
When a lot of folks, both media and pundits, talk about the Pennsylvania state budget, and the fiscal crisis facing Governor-elect Tom Corbett, they mention a…
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Read More: Pennsylvania State Budget is Larger than You ThinkRegulation
The New Food Justice Agenda
The food police are coming to Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania State Board of Education is considering new nutrition guidelines for events at public schools, which would mean the end…
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Read More: The New Food Justice AgendaTaxes & Economy
Fracking Panel Candidate Misses Mark
Here’s a letter I wrote that ran in the Indiana Gazette today, giving perspective to Marcellus Shale drilling in Pennsylvania. To the Editor, After reading the news article,…
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Read More: Fracking Panel Candidate Misses MarkTaxes & Economy
Message from Voters in 2010 is Same as Message in 2006
Former Politics PA, now National Journal reporter Alex Roarty asks (via a re-tweet) whether there is any evidence that voters rejected Republicans in 2006 due to overspending. Luckily,…
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Read More: Message from Voters in 2010 is Same as Message in 2006