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
PA is the Teacher Strike leader of the USA
The Penn-Trafford Education Association is planning to strike this week. Some parents have had enough. See what Simon Campbell is doing about it at www.StopTeacherStrikes.com. Topics on…
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PGH Tribune-Review’s McNickle on Mr. DeWeese
There he goes again… Topics on this page Pittsburgh Tribune-Review…
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Read More: PGH Tribune-Review’s McNickle on Mr. DeWeesePublic Union Democracy
Hypocrisy Knows No Bounds
Unions seem to spend much of their time these days railing against companies that don’t pay high enough wages and don’t provide health benefits. They try to force these companies…
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A chat with Heritage Foundation’s Chief
Americans can make a difference Topics on this page AmericansThe Heritage Foundation…
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Read More: A chat with Heritage Foundation’s ChiefState Budget
Easiest Way to Cut Pork
Five US Senators, in a letter to President Bush, ask him to cut down on earmarked spending (i.e. pork barrel projects) simply by not spending the money. They claim…
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School Vouchers are Improving Education in Milwaukee
Summary by National Center for Policy Analysis of a article in the New York Times. Topics on this page MilwaukeeNational Center for Policy Analysis…
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Read More: School Vouchers are Improving Education in MilwaukeeTaxes & Economy
Raising Pennsylvania’s Minimum Wage Will Result in Job Loss
News release from Employment Policies Institute on PA minimum wage. Raising Pennsylvania’s Minimum Wage Will Result in Job Loss for Low-SkilledEarned Income Tax Credit a Better Way…
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What do you do when the facts aren’t on your side?
Well, if you are Bill George, president of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, you hurl insults and yell them loudly. It works really well…so he thinks. This clip is from today’s…
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Read More: What do you do when the facts aren’t on your side?Government Accountability
Sound Policy IS Sound Politics!
We are encouraged by the very familiar-sounding policy stance of these candidates for office. Sound policy IS sound poilitics! ______________ Text of March 7 news release…. Coalition of GOP challengers…
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Read More: Sound Policy IS Sound Politics!State Budget
Say you want a revolution?
Editorial from the Chambersburg Public Opinion on how our Supreme Court judges are spending YOUR money. Topics on this page Public OpinionSupreme Court of…
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Read More: Say you want a revolution?Public Union Democracy
Gettin’ out while the gettin’s good
The Hempfield Area School District is expecting nearly 90 employees (mostly teachers) to retire this year, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. This is a district where the average salary…
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Read More: Gettin’ out while the gettin’s goodRegulation
Pennsylvania Pensions: Man-Made Financial Disasters
The “Process Improvement Theory” relates to the timing in a process when errors are diagnosed and fixed. As the theory goes, at each ensuing interval in which a problem is…
Commentary
Read More: Pennsylvania Pensions: Man-Made Financial DisastersEducation
Cyberschools have districts edgy
Times-Tribune article on the growth of Pennsylvanias’ Cyberschools. The bottom line: students do better when parents are able to choose which school is best for them. Topics on…
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Rendell’s pay not “real money”
From CapitolWire: Rendell’s pay not “real money”…For those of you who haven’t heard just how much Gov. Ed Rendell travels in upper-bracket circles these days, he was…
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Seductive snake oil
Interesting commentary that goes to show you that the battle for free-markets is happening all over the world…including Israel. And the opponents of freedom are the same… ______________Seductive…
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Read More: Seductive snake oilRegulation
State employees’ pensions might carry big price tag
“Might”? Whoever wrote the headline for this Patriot-News story on the looming pension crisis should have read the story. Even the plan administrators at PSERS and SERS don’t see…
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Read More: State employees’ pensions might carry big price tagState Budget
State Spending Limits: The Real “Road Less Traveled”
In his 2006-07 budget address, Gov. Ed Rendell claimed to be taking the “road less traveled.” But in unveiling his new spending plan, the governor revealed that he is speeding…
Commentary
Read More: State Spending Limits: The Real “Road Less Traveled”Taxes & Economy
State Revenue Boom Paves Way for Tax Cuts
An analysis by the Cato Institute of tax revenue and rates for all 50 states ranks Pennsylvania as a “state in need of tax cuts.” This is based on…
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Artificial costs
Prevailing wage issue in the Patriot-News. Topics on this page The Patriot-News…
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Capitolwire.com thoughts on AFSCME’s reponse to the pension study
No problem with state pensions …that’s what David R. Fillman, Executive Director, Council 13, The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), said in a news…
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Read More: Capitolwire.com thoughts on AFSCME’s reponse to the pension studyPublic Union Democracy
Teachers set strike date
Penn-Trafford’s teachers may be on the picket line…again, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. More fodder for Simon Campbell’s www.StopTeacherStrikes.com. Topics on this page Pittsburgh Tribune-Review…
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