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.”
More PHEAA Coverage
More media coverage of the outrageous expenses of PHEAA, the Governor’s call to “clean house,” and the suggestion (raised by the Commonwealth Foundation) that PHEAA be privatized: – Mario…
Media
Read More: More PHEAA Coverage
Is Rendell Cutting Taxes?
Brett Lieberman of the Patriot News has an intriguing back and forth between myself and Governor Rendell and Budget Secretary Michael Masch on their tax plan. Despite a massive…
Media
Read More: Is Rendell Cutting Taxes?
Yes, Profits Matter
Investor’s Business Daily editorial on oil profits: Profits drive discovery and productivity in every industry, but particularly in the capital-intensive energy sector. The seismic and satellite technologies now…
Media
Read More: Yes, Profits Matter
Swearing-in Parties
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review articles reviews legislator expenses for their swearing-in day parties, including who charged the meals to taxpayers, and who didn’t: “Rep. Jim Marshall, R-Beaver County, said he bought…
Media
Read More: Swearing-in Parties
PHEAA ‘housecleaning’ urged
Governor Rendell is now agreeing that PHEAA needs to “clean house”, as the Patriot News Reports. It will be interesting to see what he proposes, and whether he thinks…
Media
Read More: PHEAA ‘housecleaning’ urged
Lawmakers doubt Rendellconomics
Apparently, neither state Senators (see coverage by KYW NewsRadio) nor state Representatives (story in the Post-Gazette) believe Gov. Rendell has found a magic tax which will only tax…
Media
Read More: Lawmakers doubt Rendellconomics
Oil companies already provide ‘windfall’
Jonathan Williams of the Tax Foundation on Governor Rendell’s “Oil Profits Tax” in Sunday’s Patriot News. Topics on this page Ed RendellTax Foundation…
Media
Read More: Oil companies already provide ‘windfall’
GOP Protectionists
Jack Kemp on free trade and the so-called “conservative protectionists” in today’s Wall Street Journal. Topics on this page Jack KempThe Wall Street Journal…
Media
Read More: GOP ProtectionistsTaxes & Economy
Financing and Managing Transportation in PA
Commonwealth Foundation report recommends Public-Private Partnerships Harrisburg, PA — Today, the Commonwealth Foundation released a new report, The Emerging Paradigm: Financing and Managing Pennsylvania’s Transportation Infrastructure and Mass Transit, which…
Press Release
Read More: Financing and Managing Transportation in PATaxes & Economy
The Emerging Paradigm: Financing and Managing Pennsylvanias Transportation Infrastructure and Mass Transit
In November 2006, Governor Ed Rendell’s Pennsylvania Transportation Funding and Reform Commission identified a $1.7 billion annual shortfall in funding for the Commonwealth’s transportation infrastructure and mass transit services. The…
Report
Read More: The Emerging Paradigm: Financing and Managing Pennsylvanias Transportation Infrastructure and Mass Transit
PHEAA’s use of state plane saves money, CEO claims
Dick Willey argued to the Patriot News that using the state plane to fly PHEAA board members (almost all of whom are state legislators) to retreats across the US…
Media
Read More: PHEAA’s use of state plane saves money, CEO claims
Socialized pensions
Richard Rowland of the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees illustrates just how wrong-headed Governor Rendell’s “Cover All Pennsylvanians” is, in a Patriot News Editorial. Rowland argues that not only…
Media
Read More: Socialized pensions
Mandating Health Care?
A debate on making health insurance mandatory, from the Des Moines Register. Jack Hatch, a state senator from Iowa, takes the “pro” position, Michael Tanner of Cato the “con”,…
Media
Read More: Mandating Health Care?
Legislative Spending
Tribune Review article looks at the overall growth in the PA General Assembly’s budget, and the improvement of amenities for lawmakers. The Herald Standard points out that many…
Media
Read More: Legislative Spending
Turnpike Politics
Post-Gazette article examines some of the patronage jobs handed out under the Turnpike Commission.
Media
Read More: Turnpike Politics
No more lawmaker graft?
Speaker O’Brien wants to end funding of members’ non-profits, the Post-Gazette reports. The opening line says it all: Legislators would no longer be able to quietly steer tax dollars…
Media
Read More: No more lawmaker graft?
Selective School Choice
Clint Bolick Commentary in today’s WSJ on how the leading Democrat contenders think school choice should be limited to the rich (i.e. themselves).
Media
Read More: Selective School Choice
Spending Limits & the Budget
Budget Secretary Michael Masch had some interesting comments about government spending and the proposed Taxpayer Protection Act during yesterday’s Appropriation Committee hearing, courtesy of PLS Committee Summary (subscription):…
Media
Read More: Spending Limits & the Budget
PHEAA reveals spending records
After a lengthy legal battle, the Patriot News finally got some financial records from PHEAA, a state agency which had claimed to be exempt from open records laws. Though…
Media
Read More: PHEAA reveals spending records
Payoff to Big Labor
Rep. John Boehner on the union-led efforts to pass legislation that eliminate secret-ballot elections to unionize. Boehner misses the point when he compares union leaders to Hugo Chavez and…
Media
Read More: Payoff to Big Labor