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
Constitution Day and the Perilous Future
On September 17, we celebrate the creation of our Constitution, one of the greatest governing documents ever conceived by the hand of man. This is the day we commemorate the…
Commentary
Read More: Constitution Day and the Perilous FutureGovernment Accountability
Pennsylvania Has Been Collecting Info on Citizens for Years
There has been a hullabaloo over the discovery that the Pennsylvania Office of Homeland Security (under the Emergency Management Agency), has been paying a private company to put together details about protests…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Has Been Collecting Info on Citizens for YearsEducation
2010 SAT Scores by State
EDITORS NOTE: Click here for the 2014 SAT Scores by state The College Board has released the results of the 2010 SAT. We prepared a chart of SAT performance…
Media
Read More: 2010 SAT Scores by StateState Budget
The Specter Library is a Less Big Waste of Taxpayer Funds than Originally Indicated
John Micek points out that Arlen Specter is demanding that Tom Corbett, who criticized the Arlen Specter Library Project, get his facts straight. Specter claims the taxpayer-funded monument to…
Media
Read More: The Specter Library is a Less Big Waste of Taxpayer Funds than Originally Indicated
Energy tax would thwart Pennsylvania gold rush
Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
Media Hit
Read More: Energy tax would thwart Pennsylvania gold rushTaxes & Economy
PA House Democrats Unveil Transportation Tax Plan
Today, the Pennsylvania House Democrats put forth their proposal to raise taxes for transportation projects, as reported by PA Independent, which also provides a detailed outline of the…
Media
Read More: PA House Democrats Unveil Transportation Tax PlanEducation
School Choice Saves Education in New Orleans
Just over five years ago, New Orleans was devastated by Katrina, but the city’s education system was in shambles long before the storm. Today, New Orleans has witnessed a…
Media
Read More: School Choice Saves Education in New OrleansState Budget
Rendell Starts State Bailout of Cities
Yesterday, Gov. Rendell announced a $4.3 million bailout for the city of Harrisburg. The city, following decades of wasteful spending on things like a Wild West Museum and owning…
Media
Read More: Rendell Starts State Bailout of CitiesRegulation
Pa. Lawmakers Must Solve Pension Crisis Now
Here is a great video editorial on the need for Pennsylvania lawmakers to address the pension crisis now, from WGAL president Paul Quinn. …
Media
Read More: Pa. Lawmakers Must Solve Pension Crisis Now
Pa. Dems to Give Big Kiss to Trial Lawyers
Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
Media Hit
Read More: Pa. Dems to Give Big Kiss to Trial LawyersTaxes & Economy
Green Jobs? You Can All Go To Shale
The Marcellus Shale Coalition (that’s the pro-drilling group made up of natural gas exploration and recovery companies) has come up with a great idea — their own…
Media
Read More: Green Jobs? You Can All Go To ShaleRegulation
No Money For Bridges, But Plenty for Luxury Hotels
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) has completed its first luxury hotel at Bald Eagle State Park. While DCNR’s project represents good business sense — reaching out…
Media
Read More: No Money For Bridges, But Plenty for Luxury HotelsState Budget
Is Harrisburg a Prediction of Things to Come?
Harrisburg’s inability to pay off massive debts accumulated by years of wasteful spending made headlines in the Wall Street Journal. Last week, Harrisburg skipped a $3 million debt payment…
Media
Read More: Is Harrisburg a Prediction of Things to Come?Taxes & Economy
“Free” Federal Grants Result in Higher State Taxes
Over the last several decades, and increasingly in recent years, state and local government leaders have lobbied for, and received, additional funding from the federal government. Though this money…
Media
Read More: “Free” Federal Grants Result in Higher State Taxes
Gov. doesn’t back off criticism of GOP ‘wackos
Media Hit
Read More: Gov. doesn’t back off criticism of GOP ‘wackosTaxes & Economy
PennEnvironment: Weather is Climate Again
So PennEnvironment yesterday comes out with a new propaganda piece to capitalize on what they call last winter’s “Snowmageddon,” which is designed to get…
Media
Read More: PennEnvironment: Weather is Climate Again
Rainy-day funds top $2.75 billion in state’s schools
Media Hit
Read More: Rainy-day funds top $2.75 billion in state’s schoolsRegulation
Failing to Understand Liquor Store Revenues
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell unveiled his state store privatization plan yesterday. This is obviously an issue to watch for in Pennsylvania, where liquor store privatization is also a…
Media
Read More: Failing to Understand Liquor Store Revenues
West Virginia = Almost Heaven?
The “never-met-a-tax-I-didn’t-like” Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center claims that West Virginia has a booming natural gas drilling industry, despite a natural gas severance tax. This “fact” is extremely misleading.
Media
Read More: West Virginia = Almost Heaven?