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.”
Taxes & Economy
Bill to raise minimum wage gets House’s OK
Economics is once again trumped by political rhetoric in Harrisburg. Who can be against boosting the pay of someone on the lowest rung of the wage ladder? Unfortunately, by raising…
Media
Read More: Bill to raise minimum wage gets House’s OKTaxes & Economy
State spending to jump in ’06-07
Alison Hawkes in the Herald-Standard on budget negotiations.
Media
Read More: State spending to jump in ’06-07State Budget
Rendell: Budget Could Be Worse
Governor Rendell names states who will be increasing their budgets faster than PA. Ironically, his list is identical to our list of “States we least want to emulate.” From…
Media
Read More: Rendell: Budget Could Be WorseHealth Care
$1 Trillion Shock Awaits States, Local Governments
Joe Mysak asks on Bloomberg.com: “How much is it going to cost states and localities to pay for public employees’ health care and insurance after they retire? “Try between…
Media
Read More: $1 Trillion Shock Awaits States, Local GovernmentsState Budget
Budget expected to win support
Budget story in the Patriot-News… “Democrats are having a field day watching the Republicans help negotiate a budget that spends more than the 4 percent increase Rendell proposed in…
Media
Read More: Budget expected to win supportRegulation
The Merits of a Judicial Pay Raise in Pennsylvania
On July 7, 2005, a political firestorm was ignited in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the form of a controversial pay raise for legislators, members of the executive branch, and…
Fact Sheet
Read More: The Merits of a Judicial Pay Raise in PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
Wage Wars
I discussed the Minimum Wage rhetoric and reality on SmartMoney.com. Topics on this page Minimum wage…
Media
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Preschool Algebra
From Governor Rendell’s News Release: “An independent study by a renowned firm confirms that more than 160,000 students in 48 Pennsylvania schools are benefiting from investments in early childhood…
Media
Read More: Preschool AlgebraRegulation
Senators vs. Pork
Not a game between minor league baseball teams, but three State Senators (Jane Orie, R-Allison Park, Pat Vance, R-Silver Spring Twp, and Pat Browne, R-Allentown) trying to Shift Focus…
Media
Read More: Senators vs. PorkHealth Care
Accounting rule could bust state budgets
Stateline.org highlights the coming fiscal crisis in the states when governments are required to recognize medical benefits liabilities. Excerpt… Just when states found some breathing room after years…
Media
Read More: Accounting rule could bust state budgetsEducation
For School Equality, Try Mobility
How “funding the child” would provide greater school equity and choice – by Rod Paige in today’s New York Times. Topics on this page The New…
Media
Read More: For School Equality, Try MobilityRegulation
Oink-oink: Spend, spend, spend
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review editorial on corporate welfare and ‘walking around money’: “Better for Pennsylvanians if their money never ‘walked’ at all.” Topics on this page Pittsburgh Tribune-Review…
Media
Read More: Oink-oink: Spend, spend, spendTaxes & Economy
State leaders won’t confront hard decisions
Columnist in New Jersey’s Express-Times nails it on the head–he writes: “It’s called a tax shift and has nothing to do with reducing the tax burden. In fact, ‘reducing’…
Media
Read More: State leaders won’t confront hard decisionsGovernment Accountability
Government Reform
Patriot-News on Lynn Swann’s proposals for change…well, sort of change. Topics on this page Lynn Swann…
Media
Read More: Government ReformGovernment Accountability
Legislative Pensions: Avoid Them to Fix Them
The distance between the rulers and ruled continues to widen in Pennsylvania. For retiring and defeated members of the Pennsylvania House and Senate, the daily perks and privileges of office…
Commentary
Read More: Legislative Pensions: Avoid Them to Fix ThemRegulation
Reformers should alter pension plan
In this exclusive Patriot-News commentary, former lawmaker John Kennedy encourages the dozens of future lawmakers (likely 50-60 new faces will be in Harrisburg come January 2007) to eschew the…
Media
Read More: Reformers should alter pension planGovernment Accountability
Voters have spoken; legislators must now act
The Tribune Democrat ran my commentary on the “Mandate for Reform.”…
Media
Read More: Voters have spoken; legislators must now actTaxes & Economy
Minimum Wage Myth-Busting
While the minimum wage debate heat up in DC and Harrisburg, check out this article in today’s Wall Street Journal on the “Labor Lost” from increasing the minimum wage…
Media
Read More: Minimum Wage Myth-BustingEducation
Has School Choice Crossed the Rubicon?
Clint Bolick argues yes in today’s Wall Street Journal. Even Democratic leaders (including Sen. Ted Kennedy and our own Governor Rendell) have signed on to school choice programs (albeit…
Media
Read More: Has School Choice Crossed the Rubicon?Education
School Tax Hikes in Allegheny County
Interesting article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review about property tax hikes. Twenty of 43 school districts in Allegheny are planning to raise tax rates. Their justification is that the county…
Media
Read More: School Tax Hikes in Allegheny CountyRegulation
Lovely parting gifts
Lancaster New Era on legislative pensions. Once again demonstrating that “serving the public” doesn’t cost, it PAYS!…
Media
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