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.”
State Budget
Earmarks Galore
Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn has a new report on the most outrageous examples of federal spending. Some of the top examples, courtesy of the Center for Fiscal Accountability:…
Media
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Pennsylvania school employees pension costs to quadruple in 4 years
The Pennsylvania Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS) at their meeting today certified a small increase in the employers’ (re: taxpayers) contribution rate – from the current 4.76% to…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania school employees pension costs to quadruple in 4 yearsTaxes & Economy
Stop the Bailout of the States
ALEC has a new page opposing a federal taxpayer bailout of the state, including the letter from a coalition of groups. They currently collecting names of state legislators…
Media
Read More: Stop the Bailout of the StatesTaxes & Economy
US Auto Sales by Manufacturer
I thought I’d post this data on US car sales (new car and light truck) by brand, since it took a while to find. The data is available at…
Media
Read More: US Auto Sales by ManufacturerRegulation
Rendells Wicked Game
People are but mere pawns for Gov. Ed Rendell’s use as political leverage in an inexorable pursuit of his policy agenda. Thousands of state employees were unnecessarily furloughed…
Commentary
Read More: Rendells Wicked GameTaxes & Economy
Big 3 Bailout vs. Free Market Solution
In his blog today, John Micek offers some criticism of Mark Hendrickson’s commentary on the auto-makers bailout, which we ran today. Micek points to the lack of “solutions”…
Media
Read More: Big 3 Bailout vs. Free Market SolutionTaxes & Economy
Cutting Taxes Better Stimulus than Government Spending
With all the push for more government spending (at both the state and federal level) to “stimulate the economy”, readers should take a look at new research highlighted…
Media
Read More: Cutting Taxes Better Stimulus than Government SpendingRegulation
Pennsylvania completes study of things to buy me for Christmas
OK, the study isn’t on things to buy me for Christmas, but the Joint State Government Commission completed a study on Violent Interactive Video Games. Some of the games…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania completes study of things to buy me for ChristmasTaxes & Economy
The auto bailout is a blood transfusion for a dying patient
David Leonhardt has a good article in the New York Times explaining why the “Big 3 Automakers” have higher labor costs than Honda, Toyota, et. al. Greater fringe benefits…
Media
Read More: The auto bailout is a blood transfusion for a dying patientEducation
Failing Science
The Patriot News has a story on the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s news release that almost two-thirds of Pennsylvania’s 11th grade students are not proficient in science. The…
Media
Read More: Failing ScienceState Budget
Pennsylvania’ $1.6 billion budget shortfall, and Rendell’s fixes
Governor Rendell gave his mid-year budget briefing earlier today – you can download the presentation here, but let me save you the time – the only thing new or…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania’ $1.6 billion budget shortfall, and Rendell’s fixesRegulation
Where to Find WAMs
I have gotten a couple of requests today for lists of WAMs and other recent spending. We put together a list of recent grants the Governor has awarded/announced in…
Media
Read More: Where to Find WAMsTaxes & Economy
No tax increases
President Pro Tem (and now Pennsylvania Lt. Governor, though the former role has more relevance) Joe Scarnati has take a strong stance against any tax increase in the Pittsburgh…
Media
Read More: No tax increasesTaxes & Economy
The Fallacy That Government Creates Jobs
Dan Mitchell of the Cato Institute has an excellent piece on the economic benefit of so-called fiscal “stimulus” In part, this is a debate about Keynesian economics, which is…
Media
Read More: The Fallacy That Government Creates JobsGovernment Accountability
78-Group Coalition Demands Greater Bailout Transparency
The Commonwealth Foundation has joined 77 other organizations in calling for greater transparency for taxpayers in the numerous bailouts being handed out with little oversight. From the news release:…
Media
Read More: 78-Group Coalition Demands Greater Bailout TransparencyHealth Care
The Trouble with Canadian Healthcare
Brett Skinner has an article in The American magazine on why “a single-payer system is probably the least effective way to achieve universal health insurance coverage.” Topics on…
Media
Read More: The Trouble with Canadian HealthcareGovernment Accountability
Open government should save taxpayers, not cost them
The Tribune Review has a scathing editorial about Governor Rendell’s decision to charge citizens for the cost of retrieving open records about the government. In contrast, consider Texas,…
Media
Read More: Open government should save taxpayers, not cost themRegulation
Funding Loans While Facing a Deficit?
The day after announcing more budget cuts, including a wage freeze, Governor Rendell announced $2 million in new state funded loans. So let…
Media
Read More: Funding Loans While Facing a Deficit?Regulation
Rocky Balboa and the trouble with occupational licensing
The Moving Pictures Institute has put together the clip from Rocky Balboa in which Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) fights the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission for his right to box.
Media
Read More: Rocky Balboa and the trouble with occupational licensingRegulation
Cigarette Taxes Encourage Smuggling
A new report from the Mackinac Center (full 99 page report here) estimates the effect of cigarette taxes on smuggling of cigarettes (both “commercial” and “casual” – i.e.
Media
Read More: Cigarette Taxes Encourage SmugglingEducation
High Costs of Higher Education: Reforming How Pennsylvania Taxpayers Finance Colleges and Universities
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has long been considered a leader in higher education, touting a publicly supported system that includes community colleges, state, state-related, and state-aided universities. However, as with…
Fact Sheet
Read More: High Costs of Higher Education: Reforming How Pennsylvania Taxpayers Finance Colleges and Universities