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.”
Government Accountability
Will the Budget Include an Independent Fiscal Office?
With much to jeer in this year’s budget one silver lining is the proposed Independent Fiscal Office. That is, if House Democrats don’t kill the proposal. Language to create…
Media
Read More: Will the Budget Include an Independent Fiscal Office?Education
Penn State Clears “Award-Winning” Mann in Climategate
Unsurprisingly, Penn State’s second investigation into its own faculty member, Michael Mann, cleared him of any scientific misconduct charges today. Among the reasons for clearing Mann, the report notes:…
Media
Read More: Penn State Clears “Award-Winning” Mann in ClimategateRegulation
Another Budget Trick Revealed
During our PA Budget Chat yesterday, we were commenting on how the the line item for School Employees’ Retirement – i.e., the state’s contribution to teacher’s pensions – was…
Media
Read More: Another Budget Trick RevealedTaxes & Economy
Wind Power May Kill You
With the recent fatalities resulting from disasters at the Deep Water Horizon drilling rig and Massey’s Upper Big Branch coal mine, many may begin to think that such…
Media
Read More: Wind Power May Kill YouState Budget
PA Senate Passes State Budget
Today, the the Pennsylvania Senate passed the state budget by a vote of 37-13. The no votes were: Alloway, Argall, Earll, Eichelberger,…
Media
Read More: PA Senate Passes State BudgetState Budget
Ten Facts about the PA Budget Deal
Legislative leaders and Gov. Rendell reached an agreement on a PA state budget deal yesterday. Here are some facts about the $28.05 billion new spending plan: Lawmakers were able…
Media
Read More: Ten Facts about the PA Budget DealTaxes & Economy
2010 Budget Deal Fails to Plan for Future
Harrisburg, PA – Commonwealth Foundation president and CEO Matthew Brouillette released the following statement in response to the announced Pennsylvania state budget deal: “It’s difficult to negotiate a sane budget…
Press Release
Read More: 2010 Budget Deal Fails to Plan for FuturePublic Union Democracy
When Unions get Violent
Last Wednesday, men clutching baseball bats attacked construction workers at the King of Prussia mall outside Philadelphia. Workers arriving to the site of the new Toys-R-Us store found their…
Media
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Lawmakers need to enact real pension reform
Media Hit
Read More: Lawmakers need to enact real pension reformEducation
Politics Making a Mess of Education
It appears Gov. Rendell has succeeded in getting an increase in education spending for the FY 2010-11 budget. Despite the fact that enrollment is down across the Commonwealth…
Media
Read More: Politics Making a Mess of EducationRegulation
Privatizing Workers’ Compensation
Leonard Gilroy of the Reason Foundation recently highlighted the trend to privatize workers’ compensation. Some of the experimentation occurring in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Arizona began before…
Media
Read More: Privatizing Workers’ CompensationRegulation
Pennsylvania Budget Facts 2010: Corporate Taxes
The Commonwealth has the second highest state corporate income tax (behind Iowa, which has more generous deductions and exemptions). When compounding state and federal corporate taxes, Pennsylvania's corporate income tax…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania Budget Facts 2010: Corporate TaxesEducation
Pennsylvania Education Spending
Pennsylvania's education spending increased from $4 billion in 1980 to over $25 billion in 2009-a 133% increase in per-pupil spending, after adjusting for inflation. School construction and debt spending has…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania Education SpendingRegulation
Allentown & the Failure of Sports Venue Subsidies
The $80 million taxpayer-funded hockey arena in Allentown will have to wait a couple years, as in addition to the stadium, it requires a multi-million new highway. Allentown is…
Media
Read More: Allentown & the Failure of Sports Venue SubsidiesGovernment Accountability
PA Senate Commission IDs Spending Cuts
In February, the Senate established a bipartisan commission to identify cost-savings measure for the Pennsylvania state budget could save money. David Argall, the chairman of…
Media
Read More: PA Senate Commission IDs Spending CutsState Budget
Latest PA Budget Update from Sen. Pileggi
PA Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi was the speaker at today’s Press Club in Harrisburg, offering some updates on the budget negotiations, and some comments on the fiscal cliff Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Latest PA Budget Update from Sen. Pileggi
Shift public employees to defined-benefit pensions
Media Hit
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Pa. pension issue getting too political
Media Hit
Read More: Pa. pension issue getting too political