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.”
Taxes & Economy
Movin’ Out/Migration Resource and Data
Here are some resource and links related to my commentary on interstate migration: Census Data and migration report United Van Lines Data and…
Media
Read More: Movin’ Out/Migration Resource and DataTaxes & Economy
Movin’ Out
With all due respect to Billy Joel’s "Allentown," the tune which best describes Pennsylvania today would likely be "Movin' Out." For years, Pennsylvania has seen residents (particularly younger ones) move…
Commentary
Read More: Movin’ OutRegulation
Will MacGyver rescue the smoking ban?
John Micek thinks the Senate Dems plan to pass a smoking ban that includes everything the conference committee bill did, plus exemptions so Scranton and Pittsburgh could pass their own…
Media
Read More: Will MacGyver rescue the smoking ban?
Tolling I-80 not a matter of “fairness”
A reader asked for a response to comments Sen. Sean Logan has been making about Turnpike lease revenue and the need to toll I-80 for “fairness”. (See Logan’s Morning…
Media
Read More: Tolling I-80 not a matter of “fairness”Public Union Democracy
Right to Work states have higher growth
The Union Label blog looks at economic growth differences between right to work and forced unionism state.
Media
Read More: Right to Work states have higher growthTaxes & Economy
Is the minimum wage behind higher unemployment?
Mark Perry makes the case that the recent uptick in unemployment in the US is partially due to the increase in the federal minimum wage (and the pending increase…
Media
Read More: Is the minimum wage behind higher unemployment?Regulation
The Nanny State Mentality
Anyone who has observed politics for long would see that too many politicians believe nothing positive would happen unless they pass a law requiring it. They think that the American…
Commentary
Read More: The Nanny State MentalityGovernment Accountability
Legislators controlling redistricting are like alcoholics tending bar
John Baer’s latest column blasts legislators who are killing reform – in particular redistricting – for their own self-interest: And who can forget Speaker Emeritus John Perzel winning…
Media
Read More: Legislators controlling redistricting are like alcoholics tending bar
No toll limit
My letter to the editor in the Patriot News on Turnpike tolls under the lease vs. under Act 44: Charles Thompson’s May 25 article, “For drivers, it’s just…
Media
Read More: No toll limitRegulation
Corporate Welfare: Bad for Business
A Capital Commerce blog post – on the subject on whether Obama is a Marxist (concluding that he is not, but he is a…
Media
Read More: Corporate Welfare: Bad for BusinessState Budget
Rendell: Furloughs to begin July 1
The Rendell administration has announced that furloughs of non-essential state workers (which includes everyone but state troopers, prison guards, liquor store clerks, casino regulators, and of course, legislative staffers…
Media
Read More: Rendell: Furloughs to begin July 1Health Care
An American Cure for Reforming Health Care
Tom Coburn presents his proposal to reform our health care system at the Manhattan Institute. Here is the core of the argument: How do we create a real…
Media
Read More: An American Cure for Reforming Health Care
Anti-I-80 Tolling Rally set for Monday
Activists calling for repeal of Act 44 (tolling of I-80) will hold a rally at the Capitol on Monday details here. Our list of resources on Act 44/I-80 tolling…
Media
Read More: Anti-I-80 Tolling Rally set for MondayTaxes & Economy
PA lags behind US economy again
The latest state GDP report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis shows that, despite a national slowdown, Pennsylvania’s economy continues to lag behind the rest of the nation. PA’s…
Media
Read More: PA lags behind US economy againGovernment Accountability
A thousand words on Bonusgate
Randy Bish sums up Bonus-Gate (and the use of taxpayer funded lawyers to defend bonusgate) in a great cartoon. (HT: Tony Phyrillas)…
Media
Read More: A thousand words on BonusgateRegulation
Rendell administation to address pension crisis
Budget Secretary Michael Masch (a parting shot before he leaves state government at the end of the month?) unveiled a proposal to reduce the pension shock in FY…
Media
Read More: Rendell administation to address pension crisisGovernment Accountability
Are term limits working in Michigan?
Government Bytes (the blog for NTU) points to an article (with poll) that suggests term limits for Michigan legislators should be repealed. The rationale? “Of the 3,551 bills…
Media
Read More: Are term limits working in Michigan?Government Accountability
Lawmakers who blog
Tony Phyrillas comments on PA lawmakers who blog (based on a Stateline article). They include Sen. Eichelberger, whose blog I read daily, Rep. White, who I…
Media
Read More: Lawmakers who blog
Lease opponents fail to offer all the facts
Here is my letter to the editor in the Post-Gazette (online only) on the oversight of key facts about Act 44 and a Turnpike Lease: Your May 28…
Media
Read More: Lease opponents fail to offer all the facts
Evans, Capelli to Introduce Lease Bill
State Rep. Dwight Evans (a Philadelphia Democrat) and Rep. Steven Capelli (a Williamsport-area Republican) will introduce a bill (HB 2593) to authorizing leasing the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Paul Nussbaum reports in…
Media
Read More: Evans, Capelli to Introduce Lease BillTaxes & Economy
A Corporate Tax Cut Benefits All
Greg Mankiw has a great opinion piece in the NY Times on the benefits of reducing the corporate income tax: In fact, a corporate rate cut would…
Media
Read More: A Corporate Tax Cut Benefits All