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.”
Regulation
Another $1.3 Billion In Cuts for Governor Rendell
At the cabinet meeting yesterday (which the Commonwealth Foundation was escorted out of by security, being told it was a “closed meeting”, while media and staff for the PA…
Media
Read More: Another $1.3 Billion In Cuts for Governor RendellTaxes & Economy
Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest Winners
First Place: $2,500“Taxesâ€? by Colin Jones, Bethel Park PA (watch for a cameo from “Governor Rendell”) Second Place: $1,000“Where’d My Paycheck Go?â€? by Robert Madeley, Mohnton PA…
Media
Read More: Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest WinnersTaxes & Economy
Commonwealth Foundation Announces Winners of Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest
HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation today announced the winners of the Please, No More Taxes! video contest: First Prize ($2,500): Colin Jones of Bethel ParkSecond Prize: ($1,000): Robert…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Announces Winners of Please, No More Taxes! Video ContestGovernment Accountability
State Spending Transparency
Testimony of Elizabeth Bryan to the Pennsylvania House Republican Policy Committee, June 18, 2009 Good morning, I am Elizabeth Bryan, a research associate with the Commonwealth Foundation, a free-market public…
Testimony
Read More: State Spending TransparencyRegulation
Film Tax Credit Study Produced by Hollywood Consultants
One of our PolicyBlog readers sent us a note that the researchers contracted to do the study of the Pennsylvania Film Tax Credit (click here for our comments on…
Media
Read More: Film Tax Credit Study Produced by Hollywood ConsultantsState Budget
Pennsylvania’s Income Tax Competitiveness
The New York Times covered Gov. Rendell’s proposed 16% increase in the Personal Income Tax. Immediately before citing the Commonwealth Foundation, the article states that “Pennsylvania currently has the…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Income Tax CompetitivenessTaxes & Economy
Why 16% Tax Increase Would Cost Pennsylvania 24,000 Jobs
I’ve gotten a couple of question on the “how” and “why” we estimate that Rendell’s personal income tax increase will cost 24,000 Pennsylvania jobs. The estimate of 24,000 jobs…
Media
Read More: Why 16% Tax Increase Would Cost Pennsylvania 24,000 Jobs
Rendell’s 16% Income Tax Increase Will Cost 24,000 Jobs
HARRISBURG, PA — In response to Gov. Ed Rendell’s proposed 16% increase in the Personal Income Tax, the Commonwealth Foundation projected the economic impact of taking an additional $1.5 billion…
Press Release
Read More: Rendell’s 16% Income Tax Increase Will Cost 24,000 JobsTaxes & Economy
Commonwealth Foundation Joins Farmers in Fight Against Higher Taxes
Harrisburg, PA — Straight from the fields of their small, family farms, a contingent of Pennsylvania farmers today traveled to the state Capitol to join the Commonwealth Foundation in speaking…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Joins Farmers in Fight Against Higher TaxesTaxes & Economy
Gov. Rendell Proposes Firing 24,000 Pennsylvania Workers
Governor Rendell announced today that to satisfy his appetite for more spending, he would like to increase Pennsylvania’s Personal Income Tax (PIT) by 0.5 percentage points – to…
Media
Read More: Gov. Rendell Proposes Firing 24,000 Pennsylvania WorkersHealth Care
What not to like about ObamaCare
The Cato Institute has a recent publication out highlighting “Seven Bad Ideas” of President Obama’s health care plan. Here are some more on two of those bad ideas: Paying…
Media
Read More: What not to like about ObamaCarePublic Union Democracy
State Agency Forces Private Sector to Pay Prevailing Wage
Due to a standing order by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), all public universities are required to pay prevailing wage rates on construction projects funded by…
Media
Read More: State Agency Forces Private Sector to Pay Prevailing WageGovernment Accountability
Will Rendell’s Closed-Door Cabinet Meeting Violate Sunshine Law?
Today, Governor Rendell announced an “emergency cabinet meeting” to discuss the state budget, and state the meeting will be closed to the public. But wouldn’t such a closed-door…
Media
Read More: Will Rendell’s Closed-Door Cabinet Meeting Violate Sunshine Law?
PIT Increase Would Cost Thousands of PA Jobs
HARRISBURG, PA — A new economic analysis from the Commonwealth Foundation reveals that a proposed increase in Pennsylvania’s Personal Income Tax (PIT) would result in the loss of tens of…
Press Release
Read More: PIT Increase Would Cost Thousands of PA JobsRegulation
Growing Pennsylvania’s Economy
A coalition of business groups released their proposals aimed at improving Pennsylvania’s economic climate. Among the top of their list were state spending limits, lower business taxes, health care reform,…
Media
Read More: Growing Pennsylvania’s Economy
Can We Sell our GM Shares?
Imagine if I told you that my stockbroker told me I should invest in a failing company, and I told him not to. My stockbroker then invested in the company…
Media
Read More: Can We Sell our GM Shares?Education
Salaries for Pennsylvania Teachers and School Employees Online
Stop Teacher Strikes has posted the 2007-08 salary information (collected by Asbury Park Press) for 195,000 Pennsylvania teachers and school employees, searchable by name, district, or position…
Media
Read More: Salaries for Pennsylvania Teachers and School Employees OnlineState Budget
Rendell’s propaganda machine
Brad Bumsted’s latest column wraps up some of the more absurd rhetoric coming from the Rendell administration about the Senate version of the Pennsylvania budget: The bill…
Media
Read More: Rendell’s propaganda machineTaxes & Economy
“Stimulus” Kills Pennsylvania Steel Jobs
Redstate notes how the “buy American” provision of the so-called stimulus bill is already putting some Pennsylvania’s out of of work. See the original Canadian Press article here.
Media
Read More: “Stimulus” Kills Pennsylvania Steel JobsEducation
“Is public education socialism?”
In defense of a single-payer health care system, possible U.S. Senate candidate and state Rep. Bill Kortz (D-Dravosburg) asked, “Is public education socialism? No. This is the same thing.”…
Media
Read More: “Is public education socialism?”Taxes & Economy
How Much Would Cap and Trade Cost Your Family?
The Tax Foundation today released a calculator for families to estimate the annual household cost of a cap and trade system. It’s based on their recent study, “Who…
Media
Read More: How Much Would Cap and Trade Cost Your Family?