Erik Telford

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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.” 

Are they all “selfish”?

  • December 28, 2007

Nate Benefield’s commentary on our website today, elicited a response from inside the Capitol. We thought we’d share it with you…because the writer makes a very good point!…

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Judge Andrew Napolitano on the State of our Rights

  • December 26, 2007

Fox News legal analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano at Reason.tv on the threat to our inherent rights — Government that violates its constitutional limitations. Topics on this page…

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Schools get no relief on pension contributions

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 26, 2007

That’s a horrible headline for the AP story in the Morning Call. Who are the “schools” anyway? It’s the taxpayers who get no relief. While the pension contribution…

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Where will projected I-80 revenue go?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 21, 2007

In light of the FHWA questions to the Turnpike Commission – specifically about whether I-80 revenue will be used for debt services for non-I-80 expenses, and how payments to…

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Creating a Free, Searchable Website of State Spending

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 21, 2007

Policy Note by our colleagues at theWashington Policy Center on creating a state-level, searchable online database of spending. Examples of online budget databases include Georgia, Texas, and…

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A Brief History of Christmas

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 21, 2007

This Wall Street Journal article on the History of Christmas has little to do with policy (unless there is some debate over ending Christmas as a federal holiday), but…

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‘It’s been a very difficult lesson’

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 20, 2007

Interview with Bill DeWeese in the Patriot News on his role in Bonusgate. His answers: 1) Didn’t know about bonuses ($1.9 million), 2) Will consider reforming legislative spending, 3)…

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Pew Trusts on State Pension Crunch

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 19, 2007

Pew Trusts analsysis of the looming state pension and retiree health care crisis in Pennsylvania. Index to 50-state analysis here. Topics on this page Pennsylvania…

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Another Poor State Economy Ranking for PA

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 19, 2007

The Beacon Hill Institute has released their State Competitiveness Report 2007. Pennsylvania ranks 34th out of 50, based on Government and Fiscal Policy, Security, Infrastructure, Human Resources, Technology,…

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Superintendent Contracts

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 18, 2007

The Altoona Mirror has put together an extensive list of information on superintendent pay and contracts for all 501 school districts (at least the 447 they obtained information from).

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Tax Free Christmas Presents

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 17, 2007

For those of you still shopping for Christmas gifts – here is a list of gift ideas, based on products that are exempt from the Pennsylvania Sales Tax: Food…

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Pension Payment Update

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 17, 2007

Update on the coming pension spike from the mid-year briefing report (page 103). Click on image for larger version.

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College affordability

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 17, 2007

Richard Vedder and the Center for College Affordability and Productivity have a new short report on the cost of college and state spending on higher education. Among the…

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52,000 New K-8 Students, 42,500 New K-8 Teachers.

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 17, 2007

Education Intelligence Agency Communique on the discrepancy between school enrollment and school hires: The National Education Association today released its annual report, Rankings and Estimates: Rankings of the…

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Read More: 52,000 New K-8 Students, 42,500 New K-8 Teachers.

E-mails show how Dems tied staffers’ bonuses to campaign work

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 16, 2007

Dennis Roddy and Tracie Mauriello have a detailed account of BonusGate among the House Democrats in the Post-Gazette, including analysis of several incriminating emails they obtained. Topics on…

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Turnpike CEO’s spin on I-80 tolling

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 14, 2007

Following the return of the PennDOT-PTC bid to toll I-80 (See our news release here), Turnpike CEO Brimmeier is in full spin mode. From the Post-Gazette:…

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GOP gets on The BOX

  • December 14, 2007

House Democratic Majority Leader Bill DeWeese spent some time on The BOX Program with Matt last weekend. Now Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati and House Republican…

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