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.” 

State Budget

Budgeting in Neverland

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 26, 2006

Policy Analysis from the Cato Institute on how Congress overspends because they only hear from the spending lobby, not taxpayers, during the budget process. The same can be said…

Media

Read More: Budgeting in Neverland

Tax Cuts Lead to Economic Growth

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 26, 2006

The US Treasury Department released an analysis yesterday finding what we already knew – tax cuts spur economic growth. The Wall Street Journal summarizes this report. It also finds…

Media

Read More: Tax Cuts Lead to Economic Growth

Taxes & Economy

More Vinsanity

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 25, 2006

A press release from Senator Vince Fumo’s office dismisses any notion that Pennsylvania business taxes are too high, citing select data showing Pennsylvania has merely a mediocre economic record…

Media

Read More: More Vinsanity

Regulation

Pay raise still helps Stetler

  • July 25, 2006

The York Daily Record highlights how Rep. Steve Stetler from York will garner $2,000 more per year in pension payouts because he kept more than $9K in “unvouchered expenses”–unconstitutionally…

Media

Read More: Pay raise still helps Stetler

Taxes & Economy

Dukakis on Minimum Wage and Immigration

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 25, 2006

Editorial by Michael Dukakis in today’s New York Times. Dukakis claims that if we raise the minimum wage to $8 hour, businesses will stop hiring illegal immigrants. Essentially…

Media

Read More: Dukakis on Minimum Wage and Immigration

Taxes & Economy

Tax Cuts are Good for Everyone

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 25, 2006

And (almost) everyone understands that, from today’s Wall Street Journal. Topics on this page The Wall Street Journal…

Media

Read More: Tax Cuts are Good for Everyone

Regulation

Pension system ‘a perfect storm’

  • July 24, 2006

More on the coming pension crisis in the York Daily Record. Side note: Democratic Rep. Steve Stetler–who is retiring in September to become the new Executive Director of the…

Media

Read More: Pension system ‘a perfect storm’

Taxes & Economy

PA Businesses to See Tax Cuts?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 24, 2006

A report released today by The Tax Foundation looks at legislation expected to be voted on by the US House tomorrow on business taxes. This bill (HR 1956) would…

Media

Read More: PA Businesses to See Tax Cuts?

Regulation

Sweet, sour of lawmaker pensions

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 24, 2006

More on lawmaker’s pensions and the coming crisis in the York Daily Record. Topics on this page York Daily Record…

Media

Read More: Sweet, sour of lawmaker pensions

Taxes & Economy

Friedman(s) talk current issues

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 22, 2006

Wall Street Journal intervew with Milton and Rose Friedman coverring illegal immigration, Iraq, and government spending. Topics on this page IraqThe Wall Street Journal…

Media

Read More: Friedman(s) talk current issues

Regulation

21st Retiring Rep to Profit from Repealed Pay Raise

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 20, 2006

Rock the Capital reports that Rep. Steven Stetler, who announced this week he would be retiring from office in September, will receive a pension increase of over $2,000/year from…

Media

Read More: 21st Retiring Rep to Profit from Repealed Pay Raise

Regulation

More money spent on gambling; still none received

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 20, 2006

Brad Bumsted of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review with more about the tranfer of funds to run the Gaming Control Board. Apparently, Gov. Rendell and budget Sec. Michael Masch plan to…

Media

Read More: More money spent on gambling; still none received

Health Care

Judge overturns Wal-Mart law

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 20, 2006

AP Story on the overturning of Maryland’s “Wal-Mart” Health Care law. This law would have required all businesses with 10,000 or more workers to spend at least 8% of…

Media

Read More: Judge overturns Wal-Mart law

Government Accountability

Database to Monitor Spending?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 19, 2006

US Senators Tom Coburn and Jeff Flake have proposed a database tracking all recipients of federal grants (see Cato Institute analysis). Like many of you, I would enjoy easy…

Media

Read More: Database to Monitor Spending?

Government Accountability

Is it 1994 all over again?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 19, 2006

Former Congressman George Nethercutt in today’s Wall Street Journal on the fall election. He essentially argues that the party that does better is the party that offers the most…

Media

Read More: Is it 1994 all over again?