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.”
Energy
Review of Regulation Constitutional Amendment
What is the Constitutional Amendment on Legislative Review of Regulations? This amendment would allow the legislature to reject a proposed regulation by passing a concurrent resolution with a simple majority…
Backgrounder
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Director of Policy Analysis Elizabeth Stelle Delivers Remarks at Speaker Rozzi’s Listening Tour
Topics on this pageElizabeth StelleLegislative ProcessMark RozziPennsylvania House of RepresentativesPublic policy…
Media Hit
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New Audit Finds School Districts Stockpiling Funding
January 25, 2023, Harrisburg Pa. — A new report released today by Pennsylvania Auditor General Tim DeFoor reveals that Pennsylvania school districts are raising taxes while stockpiling funding in…
Press Release
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Speaker Rozzi’s Listening Tour Testimony
Mr. Speaker and members of the working group, thank you for allowing Commonwealth Foundation to provide brief comments on the importance of the house returning to work. My name is…
Testimony
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Commonwealth Foundation to Testify at Speaker Rozzi’s Listening Tour
January 25, 2023, Harrisburg, Pa. — The Commonwealth Foundation will deliver a simple message to House Speaker Mark Rozzi today at the first stop on the speaker’s listening tour: Get back to work…
Press Release
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David Hardy Speaks at School Choice Week Press Conference
Commonwealth Foundation Distinguished Sr. Fellow David Hardy speaks during the 2023 kick-off to School Choice Week.Show less Topics on this pageDavid HardySchool choice…
Media Hit
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Navigating open records requests in an age of pandemics, school closures, and mask mandates
Originally published at Broad + Liberty Bucks County officials who responded to a Right-to-Know request last year seeking insight into how Covid-19 policies were formulated, and how those policies affected…
Media Hit
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States Can Expand Educational Freedom Through Federal Tax Credit
Originally published in Newsweek Throughout the nation, parents are demanding educational freedom for K–12 students. A majority of states have adopted school choice programs, yet most are limited by…
Media Hit
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In Pennsylvania, Will Josh Shapiro Unlock Decades of Affordable Energy?
Originally published at RealClearMarkets With Democrat Josh Shapiro as a newly inaugurated governor and a new legislative body, Pennsylvania will either shine as an energy superstar or continue down…
Media Hit
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PA Lawmakers Can Reverse the Population Exodus
Originally published at RealClearPennsylvania New data from the Census Bureau reveal that residents are fleeing Pennsylvania at an alarming rate. Pennsylvania lost nearly 40,000 residents to other states from July 2021…
Media Hit
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Amendment would limit excessive power
Originally published in LNP The Pennsylvania Senate voted — for the second consecutive year — to advance a constitutional amendment that would empower the elected General Assembly to review…
Media Hit
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Voter ID Constitutional Amendment
Key Points Voter ID requirements improve election integrity, while voter turnout increases, without impacting election outcomes.Pennsylvania voters support Voter ID requirements by a wide margin, with support across all regions…
Backgrounder
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Gov.-Elect Shapiro can learn valuable lessons from his predecessor’s mistakes
Originally published at The Patriot-News Tom Wolf concludes his second, and final, term as Pennsylvania’s 47th governor this month. His eight years in office were a time of…
Media Hit
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Why are Democrats doing everything in their power to stop voter ID laws?
Originally published at The Philadelphia Inquirer It’s been two years since we saw rioters descend on the U.S. Capitol in an act that can be categorized as equal parts…
Media Hit
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Pennsylvania’s teachers unions care about lining their pockets — not about teachers or students
Originally published at Broad + Liberty Last month, the commonwealth’s largest teachers’ union, the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), blasted a thank-you to parents and teachers for classroom success in newspapers across…
Media Hit
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Assessing Gov. Tom Wolf’s Tenure
Key Points During Gov. Tom Wolf’s eight years in office, Pennsylvania ranked below the national average in income growth, job growth, and population growth.State government spending increased significantly under Wolf,…
Backgrounder
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Pa. Senate Passes Voter ID and Regulatory Reform
January 11, 2023, Harrisburg Pa. — On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Senate approved three amendments to the state constitution that would enact voter identification, regulatory, and statute of limitation reforms.
Media Hit
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Key to PA’s Success Isn’t More Bureaucracy – It’s More Business Innovation
Originally published at RealClearPennsylvania Pennsylvania brims with natural resources and human talent – but for the past eight years, the state’s heavy regulatory hand has often restrained opportunities for…
Media Hit
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Well-Funded Opponents of School Choice Target Pennsylvania Cyber Charters
Originally published at Heartland Daily News Cyber charter schools that made a smooth transition possible for Pennsylvania students in search of quality online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic are…
Media Hit
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On voter ID, trust the voters
Originally published at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Last session, Pennsylvania lawmakers advanced a proposed constitutional amendment to require voter identification in elections. The state House and Senate must…
Media Hit
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Pennsylvania State Budget Outlook
In November, the Pennsylvania Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) released its Five Year Economic and Budget Outlook. Here are several trends for lawmakers. Pennsylvania’s Economy Remains Stagnant IFO forecasts Pennsylvania’s…
Fact Sheet
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