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
Paying for Criminals’ Pensions
Yesterday, the PA House passed an amendment making it illegal for public employees to request lump-sum pension payments after they have been convicted of a crime related to their…
Media
Read More: Paying for Criminals’ PensionsTaxes & Economy
U.S. Government: Forcing Behavioral Changes through Excise Taxes Since 1791
Even though President Obama previously promised not to raise taxes on the majority of Americans, he supported the federal tax hike on cigarettes, and now, the Senate is pushing…
Media
Read More: U.S. Government: Forcing Behavioral Changes through Excise Taxes Since 1791Education
PA School Districts to Get 12% Increase in Support
Despite all the whining about budget cuts from the Rendell Administration (even though Rendell demanded there be “no whining”), Pennsylvania school districts are set to get substantially more…
Media
Read More: PA School Districts to Get 12% Increase in SupportHealth Care
Obama’s Health Care Quackery
Shikha Dalmia has a piece on Reason.com discussing the falacy that “universal health care.” The Obama plan would in fact, move the US closer to European countries, Canada, and…
Media
Read More: Obama’s Health Care QuackeryState Budget
Pennsylvania Budget by Department Under Rendell
Critics (mainly, recipients of taxpayer funds) of the budget passed by the Pennsylvania Senate last week decry it for cutting spending, claiming it is “jeopardizing access to hospital care…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Budget by Department Under RendellRegulation
Trying to Fight Unfunded Mandates? Go Directly to Jail.
Township Supervisors in Cromwell Township (Huntington County) are fighting a mandate from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to install a public sewer system. The supervisors claim such a system…
Media
Read More: Trying to Fight Unfunded Mandates? Go Directly to Jail.Regulation
What Cap and Trade Will Cost
A Heritage Foundation analysis finds that proposed “Cap and Trade” legislation will cost the average American family $3,900 per year. The chart to the left compares the cost…
Media
Read More: What Cap and Trade Will CostHealth Care
Satisfaction with Health Care: U.S. v Canada
John Lott has some interesting research on the satisfaction of U.S. and Canadians on their health care. The primary finding of his study (downloadable here), is that Canadians…
Media
Read More: Satisfaction with Health Care: U.S. v CanadaTaxes & Economy
Remembering 9/11 Through Coercion
Cato has a post on eminent domain abuse in rural Pennsylvania and the flight 93 9/11 memorial. The contention centers on 7 owners and their 500 acres of the…
Media
Read More: Remembering 9/11 Through CoercionTaxes & Economy
What Are They Drinking in DC?
Ok, this is getting pathetic. I was going to ridicule Obama’s proposal to cut $17 billion from the federal budget, just as I ridiculed his previous proposal to cut…
Media
Read More: What Are They Drinking in DC?Regulation
Will Pennsylvanians Starve Without Farm Subsidies?
Some early criticism coming from the Rendell administration about the Senate budget is that cuts to the Department of Agriculture will result in less farming and possibly event mass…
Media
Read More: Will Pennsylvanians Starve Without Farm Subsidies?Regulation
Pennsylvania’s Path to Prosperity
In any economic crisis, politicians scramble to “do something” to show voters they’re “on the job.” Ironically, the greatest threat to our recovery is not government’s inaction, but rather its…
Commentary
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Path to ProsperityPublic Union Democracy
McGovern on Card Check
Former Senator and Presidential nominee George McGovern – and though I hate the cheap labels used by the media, they would probably call him an “ultra-liberal” – writes in…
Media
Read More: McGovern on Card Check
Constitutionality of Property Tax Assessment Questioned
Last week, the State Supreme Court ordered Allegheny County to perform property reassessments due to a lack of uniformity as guaranteed by the State constitution. Most states use the…
Media
Read More: Constitutionality of Property Tax Assessment QuestionedTaxes & Economy
Specter on Curing Cancer
The Wall Street Journal takes Sen. Arlen Specter to task for claiming Jack Kemp would still be alive if only taxpayers spent more on cancer research. Not only for…
Media
Read More: Specter on Curing CancerGovernment Accountability
Shining Some Light on Pennsylvania Spending
Kevin Ferris has a good piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer on proposals to create online databases of state spending in Pennsylvania, as well as the success of other states…
Media
Read More: Shining Some Light on Pennsylvania Spending
Eliminating the Property Tax
State Rep. Sam Rohrer will soon introduce his proposed legislation to eliminate the collection of property taxes to fund Pennsylvania’s school districts. This will have the pleasant effect of…
Media
Read More: Eliminating the Property TaxEducation
Saving School Choice (and Savings of School Choice)
Great new video from ReasonTV on the DC Voucher program, and the threats to eliminate it, despite a US Department of Education report that it helps improves student learning…
Media
Read More: Saving School Choice (and Savings of School Choice)Regulation
Allegheny Power Looks to Keep Prices Down
Pittsburgh Tribune Review has a story on Allegheny Power buying additional electric power cheaply on the wholesale market, while…
Media
Read More: Allegheny Power Looks to Keep Prices DownTaxes & Economy
PA Senate Budget by the Numbers
Jake Corman, PA Senate Appropriations Chairman, has introduced the Senate Republicans version of the state budget (SB 850). The $27.3 billion General Fund budget represents a $1.7 billion reduction…
Media
Read More: PA Senate Budget by the NumbersTaxes & Economy
Industry Leaders Fact Check Misleading Severance Tax Report
Last week, the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center (PBPC) released a report advocating for a severance tax on natural gas and other extracted natural resources. In response, three of the…
Media
Read More: Industry Leaders Fact Check Misleading Severance Tax Report