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
Severance Tax at Odds with State Constitution
Earlier this week, Nate Benefield blogged on the unconstitutional process of the House-passed natural gas severance tax bill (SB 1155). This bill did not originate in the House,…
Media
Read More: Severance Tax at Odds with State ConstitutionEducation
Are More Educational Options in PA’s Future?
Both gubernatorial candidates have voiced support for government-funded grants to allow parents to choose an alternative school for their children. Sen. Jeffrey Piccola, Chairman of the Senate Education Committee, is…
Media
Read More: Are More Educational Options in PA’s Future?Regulation
Could Legislation End Church Potlucks?
States are imposing professional licensing in more and more areas of our daily lives; restricting good intentions, individual entrepreneurship, and now threatening an essential part of church…
Media
Read More: Could Legislation End Church Potlucks?Taxes & Economy
Governor Rendell Earns a D on Fiscal Policy
Cato’s 2010 Fiscal Report Card on America’s Governors is out. Not surprisingly, Pennsylvania ranks low. With a score of 40 points, Gov. Ed Rendell earns a D for his…
Media
Read More: Governor Rendell Earns a D on Fiscal PolicyGovernment Accountability
Severance Tax Legislation: The Process Stinks Too
The Pennsylvania House amended legislation to impose a severance tax on natural gas last night, and will likely vote on the bill tonight. We wrote yesterday about the merits…
Media
Read More: Severance Tax Legislation: The Process Stinks TooGovernment Accountability
Grassroots Activists Battle Special Interest Agenda
Earlier this year, we blogged on HB 2246, which would have allowed trial lawyers in auto cases to suggest the amount of compensation their plaintiffs should receive for their…
Media
Read More: Grassroots Activists Battle Special Interest AgendaGovernment Accountability
Making PA Budgets Honest
American governments are built around the power of legislatures to challenge administrations through public debate. From this debate come better policy decisions. However, if one side has a monopoly on…
Commentary
Read More: Making PA Budgets HonestTaxes & Economy
Fact Check: Severance Tax Proposal Would be Highest in US
SB 1155 would impose a severance tax rate of 39 cents per MCF. At the August estimated average wellhead price of $4.22 per MCF, this is an effective…
Media
Read More: Fact Check: Severance Tax Proposal Would be Highest in USEducation
Report: PA School Spending Not Linked to Performance
A new study from the 21st Century Partnership for STEM Education (STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) finds little relationship between education spending and performance. Specifically, the…
Media
Read More: Report: PA School Spending Not Linked to PerformanceTaxes & Economy
Democrats Natural Gas Jobs Tax is Off the Charts
Just how high is the PA House Democrat’s proposed natural gas jobs tax? It would represent the highest tax in the…
Media
Read More: Democrats Natural Gas Jobs Tax is Off the ChartsTaxes & Economy
Shale Gas is Revitalizing Communities
Cliff Wehrmen has a new pickup truck, thanks to the booming economy in Williston, North Dakota. In North Dakota, companies are fighting over workers via bidding wars, state unemployment…
Media
Read More: Shale Gas is Revitalizing Communities
PA House Democrats Unveil Nation’s Highest Severance Tax
Harrisburg, PA—A proposal by Pennsylvania House Democrats to levy severance taxes on natural gas would make Pennsylvania the most heavily-taxed natural gas producing state in the nation. At 39 cents…
Press Release
Read More: PA House Democrats Unveil Nation’s Highest Severance TaxState Budget
Where to Find Ideas to Balance the PA Budget
John Micek of the Morning Call has a piece today noting that the two candidates for Governor — Dan Onorato and Tom Corbett — have promised no, or few, new…
Media
Read More: Where to Find Ideas to Balance the PA Budget
What’s the matter with Pennsylvania Republicans?
Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
Media Hit
Read More: What’s the matter with Pennsylvania Republicans?Taxes & Economy
Why Do We Need a Severance Tax?
Proponents of a natural gas severance tax have been offering several arguments supporting a tax, here are the three main talking points used by tax advocates: 1) Higher taxes will…
Media
Read More: Why Do We Need a Severance Tax?
Despite $5 billion debt, gubernatorial candidates promise no tax hikes
Media Hit
Read More: Despite $5 billion debt, gubernatorial candidates promise no tax hikesGovernment Accountability
State to CF: Transparency Denied
A couple months ago, we requested the salary information of state employees for our new openPAgov database (if you missed the launch, we currently have Pennsylvania school district…
Media
Read More: State to CF: Transparency DeniedTaxes & Economy
Video: Natural Gas and Pennsylvania’s Business Climate
Here is bonus footage from our upcoming video series, Know the Drill, about the natural gas boom in Pennsylvania. In this clip, Brian Grove, who works for Chesapeake Energy,…
Media
Read More: Video: Natural Gas and Pennsylvania’s Business Climate