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
Pork-Barrel Projects Take Taxpayers to Slaughterhouse
Commonwealth Foundation condemns earmarking of $12.7 billion in taxpayer debt HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation expressed disappointment in the Pennsylvania Senate’s passage of House Bill 1589, which authorizes $12.7…
Press Release
Read More: Pork-Barrel Projects Take Taxpayers to SlaughterhouseState Budget
$13 Billion capital budget flies under radar
The $12.7 billion in borrowing for the state Capital Budget has become a hot topic on GrassrootsPA. Otherwise, it has merited a blurb in the Patriot News, and…
Media
Read More: $13 Billion capital budget flies under radarTaxes & Economy
Is the GOP Still the Party of Economic Growth?
John Tamny has a scathing RealClearMarkets column on the national economic policy of the last 7 years, implying that, had you been stuck on an island with Jack, Sawyer,…
Media
Read More: Is the GOP Still the Party of Economic Growth?Government Accountability
Philadelphia Parking Authority to face scrutiny
One the most wasteful, patronage-ridden, and shady government entities – the Philadelphia Parking Authority – will face investigation into its practices, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Like many other agencies…
Media
Read More: Philadelphia Parking Authority to face scrutinyState Budget
CAGW releases Congressional Pig Book
Citizens Against Government Waste released their annual Congressional Pig Book, highlighting $17.2 billion in pork projects (11,610 projects). Pennsylvania ranks 31st in pork per capita (though sixth in…
Media
Read More: CAGW releases Congressional Pig BookTaxes & Economy
The Clean Energy Scam
Time Magazine blasts the ethanol craze that has politicians (including Governor Rendell) demanding more subsidies and mandates for biofuels than they already get (HT: Carpe Diem):…
Media
Read More: The Clean Energy ScamEducation
Report: Philly graduation rate 33% lower than suburbs
A new report on graduation rates in the largest US cities has troubling news for Philadelphia (and most urban districts). The Philadelphia City School District ranks 34th among the…
Media
Read More: Report: Philly graduation rate 33% lower than suburbs
Repeal Act 44 Videos
Hat Tip to Grassroots PA for pointing out these absurd but hilarious videos calling for a repeal of Act 44. My favorite is the video below featuring two…
Media
Read More: Repeal Act 44 VideosHealth Care
MCare: End it, Don’t Extend It
Governor Rendell and House Democrats have refused to extend the MCare abatements unless it is tied to their Cover All Pennsylvania’s/PA ABC plan (read my commentary…
Media
Read More: MCare: End it, Don’t Extend ItHealth Care
Give Consumers Choices in Health Care
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives recently passed a modified version of Governor Rendell’s "Cover All Pennsylvanians"—renaming it PA ABC (Access to Basic Care). Despite the clever acronym, the program…
Commentary
Read More: Give Consumers Choices in Health CareTaxes & Economy
NTU: Return Legislative Surplus to Taxpayers
The National Taxpayers Union sent an open letter to Pennsylvania legislators urging them to return the estimated $240 million surplus in legislative leadership accounts in the form of tax…
Media
Read More: NTU: Return Legislative Surplus to TaxpayersEducation
New Reports on Education and School Choice
Here are a few new reports that make for handy reference guides for legislators, advocates, researchers, or anyone interested in education reform. American Legislative Exchange Council: 2007…
Media
Read More: New Reports on Education and School ChoiceTaxes & Economy
Those wacky truckers
As anyone in the Harrisburg area would have noticed this morning, the Truck Drivers are coming into town to protest high diesel prices. Without even addressing their proposal (a…
Media
Read More: Those wacky truckersTaxes & Economy
What’s a Charity?
A recent blog post on the Tax Foundation blog points to an analysis they did on the tax treatment of charities, which I found to be quite intriguing.
Media
Read More: What’s a Charity?Education
School Choice Tax Credit Saves Money in IL
An analysis by the Illinois Policy Institute of the Illinois Education Expense Tax Credit finds that an increase on the cap for that credit to $4,000 per child would…
Media
Read More: School Choice Tax Credit Saves Money in ILEducation
Merit selection and education lawsuits
Our sister think tank, the Show Me Institute, has an interesting post on the intersection of merit selection of judges (i.e. the Missouri Plan) and education cases – namely…
Media
Read More: Merit selection and education lawsuitsHealth Care
Affordable Health Care Agenda
The Commonwealth Foundation has joined with over two dozen organizations to form the Health Care Freedom Coalition. Below is a Statement of Principles. We, the Health Care Freedom Coalition, believe…
Commentary
Read More: Affordable Health Care AgendaHealth Care
RendellCare lobbyists push socialist pricing
The lobbyists charged with pushing RendellCare InsurePANow has fired off another missive advocating more of Rendell’s health care agenda. They tout a bill that they proclaim will “make insurance…
Media
Read More: RendellCare lobbyists push socialist pricingEducation
Salaries for 120,000 PA teachers
Stop Teacher Strikes has the data here. Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Salaries for 120,000 PA teachersState Budget
$100 Trillion Dollars in Debt!
John Goodman analyzes the latest report of unfunded Social Security and Medicare liabilities and come up with the grand total of $102 Trillion for the “infinite horizon” (after reducing…
Media
Read More: $100 Trillion Dollars in Debt!Taxes & Economy
Rendell pleads for more spending
Tony Phyrillas comments on Governor Rendell’s latest plea for legislators to borrow, tax, and spend more. Rendell claims that for a few dollars more, he can fix all our…
Media
Read More: Rendell pleads for more spending