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 raising prices a crime?
Wall Street Journal on the absurdity of legislation on “price gouging”. Not only have previous investigations over the pase few decades turned up few cases of price gouging, but…
Media
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Make Your Own ‘Star Wars’
The greatest instance of using technology to give power to the masses since Guttenberg invented the printing press, George Lucas announced that clips from all the Star Wars movies…
Media
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Diet Tip of the Week, Issue 3
One of the most notorious abuses of taxpayers' money is the exercise of Walking-Around-Money (WAMs). These funds are set aside for use at each legislator's discretion to dish out to…
Commentary
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“We’re Not the Commonwealth Foundation”
A report from the union-backed, socialist leaning (see note) Pennsylvania Budget & Policy Center calls for enacting the Governor’s Proposed Oil Profits Tax, saying it is a good tax…
Media
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Jesus would back my plan, Rendell says
Ed Rendell cites the Holy Bible to support his government-run health care plan, reported in the Patriot News. He is referring to Matthew 22: 37-39 – Jesus replied:…
Media
Read More: Jesus would back my plan, Rendell saysGovernment Accountability
Empowering Citizens through Legislative Redistricting & Initiative & Referendum
Thank you Chairman Piccola and members of the Senate State Government Committee for the opportunity to share with you the position and opinions of the Commonwealth Foundation on Senate Bills…
Testimony
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Cato Report on Federal Aid to State
New report from Cato traces the growth of federal aid programs to state. That seems to contradict Governor Rendell’s statements on the budget about how we need higher…
Media
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The Poor Get Richer
Wall Street Journal on the growth in earnings and income of low-income families with children from 1991-2005. The CBO report identifies a few reasons for this, including: job…
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Perzel Turned Away From Budget Meeting
Capitolwire story on John Perzel’s quest to be included in the budget negotiations, see summary on GrassrootsPA.com. Three things about are troubling: 1) That John Perzel is trying to…
Media
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Cost control is true tax reform
A very strong Press Enterprise editorial on real school tax reform – i.e. controlling costs: Enact a Taxpayer Protection Act that would limit increases in state spending to…
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More of the same from Brookings
A new report from the Brookings Institution Restoring Prosperity: The State Role in Revitalizing America’s Older Industrial Cities repeats many of the same recommendations from multiple earlier reports (including…
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Who Killed Health Care?
American Spectator review of Regina Herzlinger’s book, Who Killed Health Care?: America’s $2 Trillion Medical Problem — and the Consumer-Driven Cure. Herzlinger concludes her book by outlining a…
Media
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Response to Congressional Bogeymen on Turnpike
Reason Foundation responds to a letter from two Congressmen advising states against toll road leases and promising to “”work to undo” any contract.
Media
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PSBA Property Tax Reform Blueprint
The PSBA unveiled its Blueprint for Comprehensive Local Tax Reform, which has some good ideas, some misguided notions, and some bad ideas. The Good:1. Create a state funding…
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Turnpike Lease best option financially
Morgan Stanley’s preliminary report indicates that a private lease – depending on the conditions of the agreement – would fetch Pennsylvania a greater sum of money for transportation needs…
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Medicaid Reform in Texas
NCPA analysis of the Medicaid reform proposal in Texas – mostly good ideas, but lacking some key components of free-market reform. Topics on this page Medicaid…
Media
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Term Limits Op-Ed
Rep. Daylin Leach with an editorial on why term limits are a bad idea in the Patriot News. Leach resorts to the standard three part argument – term limits…
Media
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Is Health Spending Out of Control?
NCPA Analysis of government health spending. Their conclusion is that health care expenditures have risen so dramatically because they are on auto-pilot – i.e. lawmakers don’t need to pass…
Media
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Congressmen warn Governor about Turnpike lease
From Capitolwire.com. Having criticized the Governor in my previous post, I will give him praise for dismissing the anti-market rhetoric of two Democratic Congressmen. HARRISBURG (May 16) –…
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Stupid Voters!
After defeat of the Act 1 tax shift almost universally (the Patriot News identified only two districts that approved the shift, and one of those by a very tentative…
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On Top with THE BOX
Commonwealth Foundation radio program rated No. 1 in Harrisburg Metro HARRISBURG — Today, the Commonwealth Foundation announced that its radio program, THE BOX: Inside • Outside • On with Matt…
Press Release
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