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.”
Public Union Democracy
New Legislation to End Teacher Strikes
Legislation introduced by Rep. Will Gabig would ban teacher strikes similar to laws in Michigan and New York. This legislation is supported by our friends at StopTeacherStrikes, Inc.
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Read More: New Legislation to End Teacher StrikesRegulation
The worst bet you can make
MSN Money article comparing state lotteries to each other and to other gambling ventures. You’re best bets are “skill games” like poker and blackjack, roulette and slots tend to…
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Read More: The worst bet you can makeGovernment Accountability
Lack of evidence to support raise
Scranton Times-Tribune editorial takes on Chief Justice Cappy’s defense of a judicial pay raise. Topics on this page The Scranton Times-Tribune…
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Read More: Lack of evidence to support raiseEducation
Editorial: PHEAA should open books or lose monopoly
DelcoTimes suggests “If PHEAA doesn’t want to open its books, the state should open its doors to competition in the student loan field. Then residents can compare organizations and…
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Read More: Editorial: PHEAA should open books or lose monopolyGovernment Accountability
Chief Justice calls pay raises vital to strong judiciary : The Morning Call Online
Chief Justice Cappy is back to defending the judicial pay raise, calling it his “moral duty to seek pay raises for state judges” in The Morning Call. Read…
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Read More: Chief Justice calls pay raises vital to strong judiciary : The Morning Call OnlineState Budget
Will the GOP learn its lesson on pork?
John Fund in today’s Wall Street Journal. Topics on this page John FundThe Wall Street Journal…
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Transportation Pork
Here is the listing of the $706 million in federal Transportation Earmarks for PA cited in my testimony today.
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State senator suggests pumping up gasoline tax – Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Why is that the ONLY solution politicians can come up with to solve a “funding crisis” is to raise taxes? Today, Nate Benefield will provide the Pennsylvania Transportation…
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Read More: State senator suggests pumping up gasoline tax – Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewTaxes & Economy
Tougher emissions rule in PA?
FAQ about the news proposed standards and its effects.Coverage of the standards and the decision making process. Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
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Are Pennsylvania kids too fat?
A report released last from the Governor’s Cabinet on Children and Families addresses our state strategy in taking on childhood obesity. Most of the report lists the ways state…
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Read More: Are Pennsylvania kids too fat?Public Union Democracy
What to do About the Transportation Crisis?
The Pennsylvania Transportation and Funding Reform Commission is currently holding hearings on the funding “crisis” in transportation. From 1995-96 to 2005-06, while inflation increased 28%, transportation spending in the state…
Commentary
Read More: What to do About the Transportation Crisis?Government Accountability
Judicial Pay After Court Ruling
Here is what PA judges will make following the court ruling reinstating the judicial pay raise: http://mail.comfdnprod.wpengine.com/judgespay.pdf Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
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Read More: Judicial Pay After Court RulingPublic Union Democracy
Forced speech atrocity
Dimitri Vassilaros column in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review about the Washington state lawsuit on whether unions can use mandatory dues for political activity, without consent of the dues paying member.
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Read More: Forced speech atrocityState Budget
“Pork” database passed
Reuters Story on the passage of legislation that would create a new web database of all pork barrel grants. Hopefully transparency is but the first step in reducing wasteful…
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Read More: “Pork” database passedGovernment Accountability
Judicial pay raise outrage
WHP CBS21 coverage of the pay raise ruling, featuring video of our very own Matthew Brouillette talking with angry callers.
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Read More: Judicial pay raise outrageGovernment Accountability
Summary of Supreme Court Ruling on Pay Raise
The PA Supreme Court Opinion on the pay raise, issued today (view the last two pages for the Conclusion) makes the following decisions: 1) The repeal (Act 72 of…
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Read More: Summary of Supreme Court Ruling on Pay RaiseGovernment Accountability
Pay Raise is Back
The Patriot News reports that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reinstated last July’s pay raise, for judges–a ruling which raises the pay of the Supreme Court Justices. The ruling also…
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Wal-Mart and Chicago
Following Chicago Major Daley’s 1st ever veto, the city council is reconsidering the law they passed requiring “Big Box Retailers” to pay a “living wage” and benefits. Investor’s Business…
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Privatize Amtrak
In the wake of some discussion on the GrassrootsPA comments section on whether we need to keep subsidizing Amtrak with tax dollars, I thought these analyses would be useful…
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Read More: Privatize AmtrakState Budget
Earmark Showdown
Wall Street Journal article on a couple of bills expected to come up in Congress this week that would address pork barrel spending. While these bills wouldn’t reduce spending,…
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Read More: Earmark ShowdownTaxes & Economy
Why are people rich?
A study, summarized by NCPA, takes on the critics of free markets, with some common sense finding. While some on the left insist that “the rich are getting richer…
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