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
When Did you Stop Beating Your Wife?
In a vote last week, the Pennsylvania House voted to increase the marriage license fee from $3 to $28 – only the increase was to be used for “domestic…
Media
Read More: When Did you Stop Beating Your Wife?State Budget
What the Heck is a “Broad-Based Tax”?
Last week Matt Brouillette called out Senate Republicans for moving toward a budget deal with higher taxes, backing off their line in the…
Media
Read More: What the Heck is a “Broad-Based Tax”?Government Accountability
Blog Roundup
The Commonwealth Foundation has made it around the blogs this weekend; here are some recent citations: Tony Phyrillas, PA Water Cooler, and Pennsylvania Guardian give us some…
Media
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Philly Pension ‘Reform’: A Vote To Raise Taxes Now And In The Future
Media Hit
Read More: Philly Pension ‘Reform’: A Vote To Raise Taxes Now And In The FutureState Budget
Taxes and Revenue in Pennsylvania Budget Deal
Gov. Rendell and legislative leaders from three caucuses (House Republicans were not involved) announced a deal on the Pennsylvania state budget. Via PLS and Capitolwire (subscription), here…
Media
Read More: Taxes and Revenue in Pennsylvania Budget DealHealth Care
Evaluating the Baucus Health Care Proposal
The latest “leading” national health care reform proposal is a bill Sen. Baucus (already being panned by the left for getting rid of the “public option” and replacing it with…
Media
Read More: Evaluating the Baucus Health Care ProposalRegulation
Hockey Arenas Do Not Revitalize Cities
After faltering on there “no new taxes pledge“ Senate…
Media
Read More: Hockey Arenas Do Not Revitalize CitiesState Budget
Senate GOP Can Still Protect Taxpayers
Earlier this year, state Senate Republicans drew a line in the sand, stating they would not support a budget that: 1) spends more than last fiscal year; 2) includes broad-based…
Commentary
Read More: Senate GOP Can Still Protect TaxpayersRegulation
PA Senate Votes to Raise Taxes Now and In the Future
The Pennsylvania Senate this afternoon gave their approval to the municipal pension “reform” bill, even after the House stripped out almost all of the weak reforms. The legislation was…
Media
Read More: PA Senate Votes to Raise Taxes Now and In the FutureTaxes & Economy
Death Tax Increase Would Cost Thousand of PA Jobs
Pennsylvania Family Institute joins the Family Research Council and the American Family Business Foundation in releasing a new report today analyzing the effects of the estate tax (“death tax”) on…
Media
Read More: Death Tax Increase Would Cost Thousand of PA JobsTaxes & Economy
Stimulus Didn’t Stimulate
Interesting piece in the Wall Street Journal by three economists on the effects of the federal “stimulus” to date. The authors find, not suprisingly, that the stimulus has not…
Media
Read More: Stimulus Didn’t StimulateState Budget
ACORN Got $200,000 from PA Taxpayers
Given all the recent scandals surrounding ACORN, the vote to defund them in the US Senate, and the Census severing ties with ACORN, it raises an interesting…
Media
Read More: ACORN Got $200,000 from PA TaxpayersEducation
America’s Troubling College Graduation Rate
A recent study from AEI compares graduation and drop-out rates among American colleges and finds a disturbing trend. Colleges are graduating less than 60% of their student…
Media
Read More: America’s Troubling College Graduation RatePublic Union Democracy
Is “Card Check” Racist?
A new study on the Employee Free Choice Act finds that the ill-named legislation would deliberately harm minorities (HT: The Union Label) This proposal would likely expand labor hierarchy, labor market…
Media
Read More: Is “Card Check” Racist?State Budget
Enacting an Irresponsible Budget
Way back on July 1, 2009, Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi penned an excellent commentary, “Enacting a Responsible Budget,” urging “the Governor and the House Democratic leaders to support a…
Media
Read More: Enacting an Irresponsible BudgetState Budget
Braveheart and the PA State Budget
I’ve compared Pennsylvania policy-making to Braveheart before, but the move from a public conference committee to secret,…
Media
Read More: Braveheart and the PA State BudgetHealth Care
Ten More “You Lie” Opportunities
John Hawkins has a list of 10 more lies, mistruths, or inaccurate claims put out by President Obama on health care: The President is working with Republicans. Republicans haven’t…
Media
Read More: Ten More “You Lie” OpportunitiesTaxes & Economy
Are Tea Party Protesters Nut Jobs?
Reason TV interviews a number of attendees of the 9/12 Tea Party in DC in a new video asking whether they are “small group of radical freakazoids or a…
Media
Read More: Are Tea Party Protesters Nut Jobs?Education
State-Run Preschool Doesn’t Make the Grade
Cato has a new policy report, as well as a recent blog post which sums up the arguments, on why large-scale government preschool programs are not what…
Media
Read More: State-Run Preschool Doesn’t Make the GradeRegulation
Smoking Ban Puts Damper on PA Taverns
A recent article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette highlights the burden the statewide smoking ban has on Pennsylvania bars and taverns. According to the Pennsylvania Tavern Association, there were…
Media
Read More: Smoking Ban Puts Damper on PA TavernsState Budget
Bad Budget for Business
Lowman Henry calls out the PA Senate GOP for its budget deal, from many of the same reasons we did – it…
Media
Read More: Bad Budget for Business