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.” 

Another assault on school choice

  • June 8, 2007

Cyber school operator responds to the School Board Association’s attacks in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Topics on this page Pittsburgh Post-Gazette…

Media

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State Eminent Domain Report Card

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 8, 2007

One major success for individual rights in Harrisburg in recent years is Eminent Domain reform. The Castle Coalition’s Report Card on Eminent Domain Reform Legislation since Kelo, released this…

Media

Read More: State Eminent Domain Report Card

More Tax Money for Movies?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 8, 2007

Do we need to spend more money to get movies made in PA? The Rendell administration is currently proposing giving filmmakers a 25 percent refundable tax credit (i.e. a grant)…

Media

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Government Accountability

4 Bills In 5 Months

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 6, 2007

WGAL (NBC 8) with a story on the sluggish pace of the full time Pennsylvania legislature. So far this year, they have passed only 4 bills – two renaming…

Media

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What Taxpayers are buying Mark Cohen

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 6, 2007

Two Philadelphia Inquirer stories today highlight the use of tax money by Rep. Mark Cohen. The first details how he billed 3 weekends in N.Y. to taxpayers to attend…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Is State Government Ready for a Spending Diet?

  • June 6, 2007

Taxpayer Protection bills sent to Senate floor HARRISBURG, PA — Today, the State Senate Finance Committee voted to send the Taxpayer Protection Act (SB 707) and the Taxpayer Protection Amendment…

Press Release

Read More: Is State Government Ready for a Spending Diet?

MO’s Free-Market Health Care Reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 5, 2007

The state of Missouri has become to the first to enact a number of free-market reforms in health care – many of which are needed in Pennsylvania. This legislation:…

Media

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Open-Records Bill Strengthened

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 5, 2007

Sen. Pileggi has announced that he will amend his open records bills (SB1) to change the presumption – i.e. all government records will be considered public information unless specifically exempted…

Media

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Bill targets teacher strikes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 4, 2007

Rep. Todd Rock will be introducing a bill that will ban teacher strikes and fine teachers for each day they strike illegally. This legistlation is supported by StopTeacherStrikes.org.

Media

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Term limits crash

  • June 3, 2007

Brad Bumsted of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review notes the irony of how the day after lawmakers beat up the idea of term limits that a poll came out showing overwhelming…

Media

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Budget stalls over spending disputes

  • June 3, 2007

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on the how lawmakers could be in for a long summer. Tune in this coming week to THE BOX where the Budget will be the topic…

Media

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Voters not getting say on school tax hikes

  • June 3, 2007

Philadelphia Inquirer story on why we need to take Step #2 of the Pennsylvania Diet Plan. If the public schools are the community’s schools, why shouldn’t the communty…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Protecting the Taxpayers

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • May 31, 2007

Thank you Senator Corman, Senator Folmer, and members of the Senate Majority Policy Committee for the opportunity to testify on the proposed Taxpayer Protection Act (SB 7) and Taxpayer Protection…

Commentary

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State Budget

A Diet Plan for an Obese State Government

  • May 30, 2007

Commonwealth Foundation launches campaign to “Put Pennsylvania on a Spending Diet” HARRISBURG, PA — Today, the Commonwealth Foundation announced the launch of a media campaign to educate Pennsylvanians about the…

Press Release

Read More: A Diet Plan for an Obese State Government

Education

Public School Students Benefit from Private Managers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 29, 2007

The Philadelphia School Reform Commission soon will be voting on a budget for the school district. Facing a projected budget deficit, the Commission is looking for ways to reduce costs,…

Commentary

Read More: Public School Students Benefit from Private Managers

Rendell as Aragorn

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 25, 2007

Philadelphia Daily News compares Rendell to Aragorn (of the Lord of the Rings), in his speech to the SEPTA board: A day may come when the courage…

Media

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