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.”
Education
Posh dorms become the norm
AP story on the posh living quarters and lifestyles of today’s college students. As the alma mater is featured (and I must admit, I had quite the bachelor pad…
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Group plans rally to oppose seizure
Upcoming STOMP Rally to feature the Commonwealth Foundation.
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Opportunities for State Medicaid Reform
New Report on state Medicaid reforms from the NCPA. “At the rate the program is growing, it is on a course to consume the entire budgets of state governments…
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Read More: Opportunities for State Medicaid ReformRegulation
Big business loves government
John Stossel column on Townhall.com about the all-too-frequent collusion between big business and big government – from corporate welfare handouts to regulation of competition. Topics on this page…
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Cramer Parking/HIA Eminent Domain Case
The Patriot News reports that the legal standoff between Cramer Airport Parking may be resolved, if the airport agrees to one of three solutions that would allow them to…
Media
Read More: Cramer Parking/HIA Eminent Domain CaseRegulation
Teacher, state worker pension systems short $11 billion
Morning Call article on the auditor’s report on the looming crisis in state pensions. Topics on this page The Morning Call…
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Read More: Teacher, state worker pension systems short $11 billionRegulation
PA Pension Plans Underfunded
Pennsylvania’s public pension plans are facing a potential crisis, according to a Report from the State Auditor. According to the Auditor General: “The General Assembly and the governor should…
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Read More: PA Pension Plans UnderfundedPublic Union Democracy
Supreme Court jumps into dispute over labor union fees in Washington state
The nation’s highest Court will review “paycheck protection” cases for which the Commonwealth Foundation filed a “friend of the court” brief in August urging the Court to consider…
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Townhall.com::Wages of Stagnation
Bruce Bartlett Commentary on economic gains of workers and households: “In short, despite all the talk about the rich getting richer at the expense of the poor, the fact…
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Read More: Townhall.com::Wages of StagnationState Budget
Both parties share blame for bloated budget
Read Matthew Brouillette’s commentary in today’s Patriot News. Topics on this page The Patriot-News…
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Read More: Both parties share blame for bloated budgetGovernment Accountability
The Incumbents We Need
Pennsylvania’s 2006 elections will go down in the history books as one in which citizens overturned the apple cart of many incumbent state legislators. While many career politicians are already…
Commentary
Read More: The Incumbents We NeedGovernment Accountability
‘Smart Talk’ on pay raise
Alison Hawkes summary of Chief Justice Cappy’s defense of the judicial pay raise: “He said judges needed a pay hike because salaries were slipping compared to other states, although…
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States could be overwhelmed by health care burden
AP Story on how the cost of health care plans for retired state workers will be enormous across the nation, as preliminary numbers (required by new GASB rules) roll…
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Read More: States could be overwhelmed by health care burdenTaxes & Economy
The Estimated Impact of the Swann Tax Cuts
Executive Summary Republican gubernatorial candidate Lynn Swann has proposed a number of changes to state tax rates. This analysis focuses on four major components of that proposal—namely reductions in the…
Fact Sheet
Read More: The Estimated Impact of the Swann Tax CutsGovernment Accountability
Pa. courts say judges’ pay will rise with feds
AP Report that court adminstrators say PA judges pay are now tied to federal judges. While this differs from my reading of the court ruling on cost-of-living-adjustments, and…
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Read More: Pa. courts say judges’ pay will rise with fedsGovernment Accountability
The Know-Nothing Campaign
Nick Gillespie column on the absurdity of the McCain-Feingold free speech regulations which bans mentioning of candidates in ads within 60 days of an election. We don’t want voters…
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Read More: The Know-Nothing CampaignState Budget
Pennsylvania growing a gut, We need fiscal corset
Editorial from the Press Enterprise on the need for fiscal restraint in Pennsylvania. Topics on this page EditorialPennsylvaniaPress Enterprise…
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Ethanol: Bumper Crop for Agribusiness, Bitter Harvest for Taxpayers
NTU Report on how ethanol subsidies and mandates are driving up the costs for taxpayers on gasoline, taxes, and food.
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Read More: Ethanol: Bumper Crop for Agribusiness, Bitter Harvest for TaxpayersState Budget
How States are Solving the Tax and Spending Problem
An overview of the provisions of various tax and spending limit initiatives on the ballot in other states, from the National Taxpayers Union. Topics on this page…
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Read More: How States are Solving the Tax and Spending ProblemTaxes & Economy
The Invisible Hand at Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart, the epitome of greed and all that is evil in the world, is doing what government and Medicare part D cannot – make prescription drugs more affordable. Read the…
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Why Are Health Costs Rising?
Brief analysis of the rising costs of health care from NCPA.
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