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.”
Public Union Democracy
Is the secret ballot in danger?
As “the first hundred days” starts today, what is in the cards for the Obama administration? A couple of weeks ago, Kimberly Strassel of the Wall Street Journal reported…
Media
Read More: Is the secret ballot in danger?Regulation
There’s a reason so many Steeler fans have left Pittsburgh
Jerry Bowyer has an excellent piece in today’s Wall Street Journal on why sports – and taxpayer subsidized sports stadiums – do not lead to broader economic gains (a…
Media
Read More: There’s a reason so many Steeler fans have left PittsburghRegulation
Boscovs Bailout is Bad for Business
With bailout mania sweeping the nation, it is hardly a surprise to see the struggling Boscov’s department store with its hand out. But the current proposal to give Boscov's $35…
Commentary
Read More: Boscovs Bailout is Bad for BusinessGovernment Accountability
Evaluation of Pennsylvania School District Websites
Our friends at the Sam Adams Alliance have reviewed websites from all 501 school districts in Pennsylvania on their Sunshine Review wiki. They found that there is a…
Media
Read More: Evaluation of Pennsylvania School District WebsitesTaxes & Economy
Some Stimulating Reading
Here are some quick reads about the proposed federal “Economic Stimulus” package Heritage has 10 Questions about the Economic Stimulus Bill Amanda Carpenter summarizes the 13-page official summary…
Media
Read More: Some Stimulating ReadingRegulation
Fiddling while Pennsylvania bleeds
Brian O’Neill has an outstanding column in the Post-Gazette questioning the efficacy of “economic development” subsidies (corporate welfare) during a state budget crunch – or any time, really. The…
Media
Read More: Fiddling while Pennsylvania bleedsTaxes & Economy
Who is to blame for “financial crisis”?
Who is to blame for the current economic predicament? We answered this question many months ago, but a new poll highlighted on the New York Times Economix Blog…
Media
Read More: Who is to blame for “financial crisis”?State Budget
Pennsylvania Revenue Shortfall Projections
For those who are following Pennsylvania’s revenue shortfall closely, the state Budget Office provided on request (and were kind enough to waive the 25-cent cost) me the monthly…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Revenue Shortfall ProjectionsTaxes & Economy
Worst Economy Since the Great Depression?
Free Market Politics with no words (or 6,000 if you think a picture is worth a thousand words) debunks the oft-stated rhetoric that we are facing the “worst economic…
Media
Read More: Worst Economy Since the Great Depression?Government Accountability
Commonwealth Foundation Launches PennsylvaniaVotes.org
HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation today announced the launch of PennsylvaniaVotes.org, the state’s first and only web site that provides—at no cost—a nonpartisan, layman’s description of every bill…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Launches PennsylvaniaVotes.orgState Budget
Shovel Ready?
In discussion of a “stimulus” plan/bailout of state and local governments, a lot of has been made of funding “shovel ready” projects – thus leading to governors and mayors putting…
Media
Read More: Shovel Ready?Taxes & Economy
New $95,000 job created for ousted PA lawmaker – during hiring freeze
Despite a state hiring freeze, and an $814 million revenue shortfall, Governor Rendell has created a new position – paying $95,002 annually – for former state representative…
Media
Read More: New $95,000 job created for ousted PA lawmaker – during hiring freezeRegulation
Kicking and screaming over soccer stadium
Delware County Councilman Andy Lewis is fighting against taxpayer funding for the proposed soccer stadium in Chester, noting (among other things) that Major League Soccer might go under, leaving…
Media
Read More: Kicking and screaming over soccer stadiumTaxes & Economy
Stimu-less
Lots of good explanation of why a federal “economic stimulus” is likely to fail. The Heritage Foundation has the “Do’s and Don’ts of an Economic Stimulus” – unfortunately all…
Media
Read More: Stimu-lessTaxes & Economy
We spent taxpayer money on this #@!$?
Suppose you were faced with a major revenue shorfall and had to prioritize spending. Would you: 1) Give employees their promised raises or2) Produce a website/video…
Media
Read More: We spent taxpayer money on this #@!$?State Budget
The façade of Pennsylvania’a state budget
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has a story on how state taxpayer funding is available for business façades. The real façade is that the state budget is “cut to the…
Media
Read More: The façade of Pennsylvania’a state budgetHealth Care
What Medicaid Tells Us About Government Health Care
In the Wall Street Journal, Scott Gottlieb notes the poor performance of Medicaid, and wonders why President-elect Obama (or Governor Rendell) would want to expand on such a…
Media
Read More: What Medicaid Tells Us About Government Health CareEducation
Remembering Paul Henkels
Paul Henckels, chaiman of the REACH Foundation and a leader in the school choice movement in Pennsylvania, passed away late last week. Please find the news release from…
Media
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Plan to Reform Public Education
The Washington Policy Center recently released its Education Reform Plan for the Washington school system. It highlights the failure of the current program: Nearly one-third of Washington public…
Media
Read More: Plan to Reform Public EducationTaxes & Economy
Movin’ Out of Pennsylvania in 2008
United Van Lines has released their 2008 migration study, detailing shipments into and out of each state. Pennsylvania saw 58% of movement leaving the state, ranking as the…
Media
Read More: Movin’ Out of Pennsylvania in 2008Education
School district consolidation unlikely to cut cost
Over at School Board Transparency blog, Fred Baldwin writes that consolidating school districts (to county wide districts) is unlikely to result in substantial cost savings – that is…
Media
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