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.”
Regulation
Taking the First Step Toward Pension Reform in 2017-18
In the Christmas classic Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, the Winter Warlock despairs, “It is so difficult to make a change.” Kris Kringle disagrees, “It’s as easy as taking…
Media
Read More: Taking the First Step Toward Pension Reform in 2017-18Education
Gesu School: Education Choice in Action – Part II
He's a former pharmaceutical executive and she's concluding Ph.D. studies in reading literacy and assessment. Bryan Carter and Annette Pickett could choose more lucrative careers. Yet they've devoted their lives…
Media
Read More: Gesu School: Education Choice in Action – Part IITaxes & Economy
Facts Refute Gov. Wolf’s Climate Change Concern
Editor's Note: A version of this blog was also published in the Daily Caller and appeared at NaturalGasNow.org. When Gov. Wolf uses the past…
Media
Read More: Facts Refute Gov. Wolf’s Climate Change ConcernHealth Care
Pursuing Permanent Poverty Solutions: 2018-17 Welfare & Health Care Reforms
Today, we continue our recap of the 2017-18 legislature by looking at the largest and most poorly understood aspect of state government, welfare and health care. Human services spending amounts…
Media
Read More: Pursuing Permanent Poverty Solutions: 2018-17 Welfare & Health Care ReformsPublic Union Democracy
Three Ways Lawmakers are Expanding Worker Rights
Over the last two years, Pennsylvania lawmakers have taken great effort to improve our state’s labor laws to protect workers’ basic rights. However, as brave public servants like Greg Hartnett, an…
Media
Read More: Three Ways Lawmakers are Expanding Worker RightsTaxes & Economy
Bureaucrats are Keeping Pennsylvanians Dependent on Food Stamps
Great things are happening in our economy, including more job opportunities and rising incomes. Yet, Pennsylvania is continuing to see near-record food stamp enrollment. The Census Bureau's newly-released American…
Media
Read More: Bureaucrats are Keeping Pennsylvanians Dependent on Food StampsEducation
Gesu School: Education Choice in Action – Part I
Drive down Schuylkill Expressway, exit 342 past the Philadelphia Zoo, across the Girard Bridge—eventually you’ll arrive in North Philly, home of Gesu School. The surrounding neighborhood has all the…
Media
Read More: Gesu School: Education Choice in Action – Part IState Budget
Budget Outlook: Restrained Spending Growth
On Tuesday, Budget Secretary Randy Albright gave the mid-year budget briefing (slides available here) for the 2018-19 budget. If you’re expecting a repeat of the Wolf Administration’s tax-and-spend rhetoric…
Media
Read More: Budget Outlook: Restrained Spending GrowthTaxes & Economy
Will Carbon Taxes Bring Paris Protests to Pa?
“Nothing reveals the disconnect between ordinary voters and an aloof political class more than carbon taxation,” write the editors of the Wall Street Journal. As French “yellow vest”…
Media
Read More: Will Carbon Taxes Bring Paris Protests to Pa?Public Union Democracy
Union Leaders: Resignation Denied
William Neely is a psychiatric aide in Berks County and a 15-year union member. Mr. Neely felt his union leaders, AFSCME 13, no longer represented his interests, and attempted to resign…
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Read More: Union Leaders: Resignation DeniedGovernment Accountability
Union Leaders Lied, Now Members Sue
Unions should represent employees, not work against their own members’ interests. Yet, that’s exactly what happened to public sector workers in Erie—and some are pushing back. During closed-door negotiation…
Media
Read More: Union Leaders Lied, Now Members SueEducation
Education Spending 2017-18: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
In early 2017, Rep. Dave Reed acknowledged the importance of education spending to everything the General Assembly tackles: We have an amazing opportunity. … We get to…
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Read More: Education Spending 2017-18: The Good, The Bad, and the UglyHealth Care
Four Ways Pa. Lawmakers Can Reduce the Cost of Health Care
Bureaucracy just makes things worse. Case in point: Obamacare. Pennsylvanians have faced soaring health care costs and far fewer options ever since the law was passed. Thankfully, a…
Media
Read More: Four Ways Pa. Lawmakers Can Reduce the Cost of Health CareRegulation
Just Say No To Corporate Welfare
“We prefer the term ‘corporate welfare.’” Elizabeth Stelle, CF’s Director of Policy Analysis, recently appeared on the KD/PG Sunday Edition to discuss the GM bailout, Amazon’s HQ2 forgoing Pennsylvania, and…
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Read More: Just Say No To Corporate WelfareRegulation
Our Christmas Wish: A Solvent Pennsylvania
“I’m dreaming of a solvent Penn’s Woods/Just like the one we used to know.” Lyrics not worthy of Bing Crosby, but still music to the ears of a…
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Read More: Our Christmas Wish: A Solvent PennsylvaniaHealth Care
Welfare Program Restarts with No Proof of Poverty Alleviation & No Budget
After a six-year hiatus, Pennsylvania's General Assistance program is back in operation…without a budget. The Wolf administration's unilateral decision to resurrect a program, without identifying a funding source, is symbolic…
Media
Read More: Welfare Program Restarts with No Proof of Poverty Alleviation & No BudgetRegulation
Turnpike Toll Hikes Highlight Missed Opportunities
There are three things Pennsylvanians have learned to count on: death, taxes, and Turnpike toll hikes. On January 6th, the state toll road will increase rates by another 6…
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Read More: Turnpike Toll Hikes Highlight Missed OpportunitiesEducation
School Choice Progress in PA 2017-18
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. This African saying, attributed by some to Desmond Tutu, has been successfully employed by school choice advocates in…
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Read More: School Choice Progress in PA 2017-18Regulation
Harsh Conditions Continue: Pennsylvania’s 2017-18 Business Climate
After the recent decision by Amazon not to put an HQ2 location in Pennsylvania, business owners and taxpayers all across the state are asking the same questions: What barriers…
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Read More: Harsh Conditions Continue: Pennsylvania’s 2017-18 Business ClimateState Budget
2017-18 State Budget & Spending Trends
Over the next month, CF will recount what happened on major issues in the 2017-18 legislative session and what policies lawmakers need to prioritize in the 2019-20 session to make…
Media
Read More: 2017-18 State Budget & Spending TrendsEducation
Teacher shortage? Try competition.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to … tinker with markets. That isn’t the original ending to that sentence, but it is certainly accurate. There…
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Read More: Teacher shortage? Try competition.