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.”
Education
Voucher foes hurt poor kids
Editorial in the Chicago Sun Times on President Bush’s “Pell Grants for Kids” and the unions’ mindless rhetoric denouncing school choice. Topics on this page George…
Media
Read More: Voucher foes hurt poor kidsGovernment Accountability
Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader
This weekend, sports fans have the ineviable choice of rooting for Luke Skywalker or for Darth Vader in the Super Bowl. Yes, Luke is whiny and obnoxious (read: Eli Manning),…
Media
Read More: Luke Skywalker vs. Darth VaderRegulation
$47 million for Soccer?
Lowman Henry writes on the Lincoln Blog that $47 million for a soccer stadium doesn’t seem like a good use of tax dollars, and responds to some email comments…
Media
Read More: $47 million for Soccer?Taxes & Economy
Government on a Diet – ABC 27 coverage
ABC 27 Video on our report Government on a Diet: Spending Tips 2008 Please make sure your flash player is up to date. Click here…
Media
Read More: Government on a Diet – ABC 27 coverageTaxes & Economy
Groundhog Duel – Taxpayer Funded Website
The Pennsylvania Tourism Office has a new website: Groundhog Duel. The website features a video about two 6’2″ men wearing groundhog costumes collecting bling-bling and hooking up with gorgeous…
Media
Read More: Groundhog Duel – Taxpayer Funded WebsiteState Budget
The Truth About Spending Limits
Pennsylvanians want limits placed on the annual increases in state government spending. Despite the strong support of taxpayers, many special interest groups that profit from higher taxes and more government…
Fact Sheet
Read More: The Truth About Spending LimitsHealth Care
Maine’s Failed Health Reforms
Greg Scandlen weighs in on the failure of Maine’s Dirigo Care program: 1. After 20 months of operation only 11,000 were enrolled in DirigoChoice (out of a total…
Media
Read More: Maine’s Failed Health ReformsRegulation
Professional licensing and the Italian Stallion
In light of recent news about state licensing boards going after eBay sellers and our discussion of professional licensing boards in Government on a Diet, here are some…
Media
Read More: Professional licensing and the Italian StallionRegulation
State Liquor Stores Show Age
Delco Times editorial on the need to privatize the state liquor stores. Dismissing the myth of state-run stores protecting against underage drinking (through anecdotal evidence, though a report…
Media
Read More: State Liquor Stores Show AgeState Budget
Put Government on a Spending Diet
Commonwealth Foundation analysis finds $6.7 billion in “unhealthy“ state spending HARRISBURG, PA — Today, in anticipation of Governor Rendell’s 2008-09 budget proposal, the Commonwealth Foundation released Government on a Diet:…
Press Release
Read More: Put Government on a Spending DietRegulation
Pennsylvania takes on online auctions
Philadelphia Inquirer story on the state’s pursuit of eBay sellers with no auctioneer’s license. As we pointed out on this issue before, eBay’s seller rating do a better…
Media
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Odd U-Turn on Property Tax Relief
In the House debate over property taxes relief, focusing on David Levdansky’s HB 1600 (increasing the state sales tax and person income tax to provide about $1.5 billion in…
Media
Read More: Odd U-Turn on Property Tax ReliefTaxes & Economy
Rendell’s Extreme Makeover
Jerry Bowyer’s op/ed on Governor Rendell’s extreme makeover – from a Philadelphia mayor who was: a leading “new Democrat” who had outsourced over 40 government functions, stared down…
Media
Read More: Rendell’s Extreme MakeoverRegulation
Monopoly Money: The control of wine and spirits in Pennsylvania
The Post-Gazette had an article on state run liquor stores (first in a four part series) over the weekend. Part 2 is here. The reader feedback for…
Media
Read More: Monopoly Money: The control of wine and spirits in PennsylvaniaState Budget
Bush on Earmarks
If his State of the Union Address, Bush promised to veto and/or ignore earmarks in future appropriatiosn legislation. As CAGW and Heritage point out, this would only…
Media
Read More: Bush on EarmarksGovernment Accountability
State of the Union Word Analyzer
This neat website analyzes State of the Union speeches with word count (Jimmy Carter gave the longest speech) and key word analysis. I like playing with the graphic…
Media
Read More: State of the Union Word Analyzer
PTC: We Not Spread Lies
PA Turnpike Commission’s Tim Carson sent a letter to Toll Roads News in response to their story about the lack of caps on Turnpike tolls under Act…
Media
Read More: PTC: We Not Spread LiesEducation
Is School Choice Enough?
A interesting discussion on City Journal on the subject of school choice. The discussion in a response to an article by Sol Stern implying that school choice advocates…
Media
Read More: Is School Choice Enough?Education
Vinsanity at PHEAA
Vince Fumo came to the defense of excesses at PHEAA, demaninding that the Auditor General stop auditing. Jan Murphy of the Patriot News has the story. Fumo contends that…
Media
Read More: Vinsanity at PHEAA
Act 44 – no cap on Turnpike tolls
Toll Roads News has a story today on the Turnpike Commission’s claim that future Turnpike Tolls would be capped (with a 25% increase in 2009 and 3% annually thereafter).
Media
Read More: Act 44 – no cap on Turnpike tollsTaxes & Economy
Bush Revises Stimulus Deal to ‘Rebate All of It’
Great fake news from ScrappleFace “It just makes sense,â€? said White House spokesman Dana Perino, “that if $800 per person would stimulate the economy, then giving back…
Media
Read More: Bush Revises Stimulus Deal to ‘Rebate All of It’