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.” 

Lawmakers have made few real reforms

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 9, 2007

Chambersburg Public Opinion assesses the reforms (or lack thereof) enacted by lawmakers Topics on this page Public Opinion…

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A mad dash to influence Pa. energy plans

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 9, 2007

Philadelphia Inquirer reports that a number of special interests are busy lobbying regarding energy policy. If you are surprised that special interests want to get a piece of the…

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Read More: A mad dash to influence Pa. energy plans

Data on Jobs and Taxes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 5, 2007

Here are a couple of interesting compilations of data: Tax Foundation analysis of IRS data – Income and Taxes by income percentileSkeptical Optimist on Job Data –…

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Read More: Data on Jobs and Taxes

DeWeese proposes “ethics training”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 5, 2007

Philadelphia Inquirer on how Bill DeWeese plans to “clean up” Harrisburg in the wake of the Attorney General’s investigation of his office in the Bonus-Gate scandal (among other things):…

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PHEAA chief asked to step down

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 5, 2007

Jan Murphy in the Patriot News on the more abrupt forced resignation of Dick Willey from PHEAA, follwing the Auditor General’s preliminary report. Apparently even board members like…

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Audit Rips PHEAA For Hersheypark Day, Huge Bonuses

  • October 4, 2007

WTAE Pittsburgh’s Jim Parsons on PHEAA. Pennsylvania’s student loan agency, PHEAA, has paid hundreds of employees more than $7.5 million in bonuses over the last three years, according…

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Read More: Audit Rips PHEAA For Hersheypark Day, Huge Bonuses

When the Story’s Got Children, Who Needs Facts?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 4, 2007

Amy Menefee of the Business & Media Institute on what the SCHIP expansion would really do, and the “but its for the kids” media onslaught. (Balanced coverage from…

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Read More: When the Story’s Got Children, Who Needs Facts?

$7.5M bonus bonanza at PHEAA

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 4, 2007

Brett Lieberman on the latest embarrasing revelation of PHEAA’s extravagances, from the state audit of the agency. Here is the Auditor General’s news release on the interim audit…

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Read More: $7.5M bonus bonanza at PHEAA

I-80 tolls for Transit?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 4, 2007

Philadelphia Inquirer article repeat a claim from PA Turnpike head Joe Brimmeier that none of the tolls from I-80 would be used to fund mass transit. Of course this…

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Read More: I-80 tolls for Transit?

Jesus: Roman Empire Should Provide Universal Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 3, 2007

Remember the passage in the Bible where Jesus called upon the Roman Empire to provide universal, government-run health insurance? Well, Governor Rendell says it is there: Rendell…

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SCHIP Articles

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 3, 2007

MSNBC.com article on how richer states are pushing for the SCHIP Expansion. Also Greg Mankiw posts a explanation of Bush’s position on SCHIP – a good overview, but…

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Read More: SCHIP Articles

Is Ethanol the ‘Energy Security’ Solution?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 3, 2007

Washington Post “Think Tank Town” column on the use of ethanol to make us “energy indpendent”. Topics on this page The Washington Post…

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Preschool for All!

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 3, 2007

National Review article (from Free Library) on the push for government-run “universal preschool”: The irony is that early education is already an American strength. The National Center for…

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Read More: Preschool for All!

Energy Snapshot Powerpoint

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 2, 2007

The PowerPoint summary of the various energy plans from today’s luncheon can be found here as a slideshow and here as a PDF file. If you missed the…

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Read More: Energy Snapshot Powerpoint

Bonus Ban Measure Passes State Government Committee

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 2, 2007

John Eichelberger’s Bonus Ban Bill – banning all bonuses in state government, PHEAA, legislative staffers, executive branch, etc. – cleared its first hurdle today. Topics on this page…

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Read More: Bonus Ban Measure Passes State Government Committee

Interest to lease turnpike is broad

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 2, 2007

Philadelphia Inquirer on the interest in leasing the Turnpike. List of companies completing RFQ is included (several companies entered joint proposals – thus there are 34 companies listed, but…

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Read More: Interest to lease turnpike is broad

No time for energy conservation when PR is at stake

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 1, 2007

Rendell’s energy plan calls for a whole host of subsidies and tax credits to end our “dependence on foreign oil”. Cutting taxpayer-funded bus tours to promote his energy plan…

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Read More: No time for energy conservation when PR is at stake

FHWA responds on I-80 tolls

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 1, 2007

Toll Roads News posts and analyzes a letter from the Federal Highway Administration to the Turnpike Commission on tolling I-80. The letter doesn’t say much other than the…

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Read More: FHWA responds on I-80 tolls

Federal Energy Tax Policy

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 28, 2007

This research paper from 2006 offers a good summary of current federal tax policy – taxes and tax credits – toward energy. Things I learned reading it include:…

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Read More: Federal Energy Tax Policy