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.” 

Kid’s coverage shortfalls

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 1, 2006

Stateline.org reports that many states Children’s Health Insurance Programs (S-CHIP) face multi-million dollar shortfalls, and hope that the federal government will bail them out. The article notes that states…

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Can 600 economists all be wrong?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 1, 2006

Greg Mankiw blogs on some economists “support” for a minimum wage increase. Some economists see the “modest benefits” outweighing the “modest adverse affects”. But unlike Governor Rendell and his…

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Ousted legislators’ nest eggs

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 1, 2006

Tracie Mauriello of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette advises “Don’t feel badly for state Rep. Mike Veon just because voters booted him out of office. … he’ll have free health insurance…

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Pennsylvania Pay Scandal Keeps Rolling

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 30, 2006

Discussion of the judicial ruling on the pay raise in this month’s Budget and Tax News from the Heartland Institute. Topics on this page The Heartland…

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Populist pap

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 30, 2006

Alan Reynolds column on the mainstream media’s replacement of “liberal” with “populist” when describing the advocates of big government.

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The Promise of Education Tax Credits

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 29, 2006

Acton Institute Commentary on the benefits of education tax credit programs, spotlighting Pennsylvania’s EITC as the model. Topics on this page Earned income tax credit…

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A Parting Shot At Taxpayers?

  • November 29, 2006

Ben Simmoneau at WGAL found departing lawmakers are cashing in on the taxpayers as they leave office. Watch WGAL tonight at 6:00! Topics on this page…

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State Legislatures Compared

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 28, 2006

The Empire Center in New York has compiled a few tables looking at legislative pay and budgets. What is most troubling as Pennsylvania is concerned is not…

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Republican Rehab

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 28, 2006

Wall Street Journal article on the US Senators who are actually fighting against pork-barrel spending. Topics on this page United States…

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Another Veon deal: Turf from nowhere

  • November 26, 2006

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on soon-to-be-former legislator Mike Veon. Topics on this page Mike VeonPittsburgh Tribune-Review…

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Real change this time, say lawmakers

  • November 26, 2006

Everyone is a reformer now. At least that is how they are TALKING. But we’ll have to wait and see if they start WALKING it.

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Pensions for pols to cost a bundle

  • November 24, 2006

From the Morning Call: Lawmakers’ pension payments differ greatly from the private sector, whichhas largely turned to ”defined contribution” retirement packages such as401(k)s, Koc said. In…

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Tax Burden Stifles Economic Growth

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 21, 2006

New NCPA Study examines the effect of an excessive tax burden on economic growth. The estimate the optimal level of federal, state, and local taxes should be about 23%…

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Rendell will explore leasing Pa. Turnpike

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 21, 2006

Following the Commonwealth Foundation’s forum on Public-Private Partnerships in Transporation Governor Rendell states that he is on board with exploring a lease of the PA Turnpike, according to the…

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Money Can’t Buy ‘em Learning

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 21, 2006

Andrew Coulson on over-spending and under-performing public schools. Coulson writes: So private schools get by with thousands of dollars less per pupil annually than the supposedly underfunded government system,…

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Courting disaster, tyranny

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 20, 2006

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review editorial on the need to update the civics books. Topics on this page Pittsburgh Tribune-Review…

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Freedom Man

  • November 18, 2006

Dr. Thomas Sowell, the Rose and Milton Friedman Senior Fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution, eulogizes Milton Friedman in today’s Wall Street Journal. Topics on this page…

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