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.”
Education
Education Funding Principles
With mid-term elections nearing, both candidates for governor are wrestling with how to create a better education system, including a more equitable funding system. Here are five principles any education…
Media
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Pennsylvania’s Tax Climate Remains a Burden
The commonwealth’s business tax climate is chilling. A report from the Tax Foundation ranks Pennsylvania on a variety of key taxes, putting the state at 34th overall. On corporate income taxes,…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Tax Climate Remains a BurdenPublic Union Democracy
Who Benefits from Union Political Spending?
From teachers’ strikes to the significant U.S. Supreme Court case Janus v. AFSCME, government unions catapulted into the national spotlight this year. Yet union direct political engagement has remained strong for…
Media
Read More: Who Benefits from Union Political Spending?Public Union Democracy
Lawmakers Must Prioritize Pro-Worker Legislation
With a few session days left, lawmakers must prioritize legislation to align state law with federal law and tell workers their rights. HB 2571 enforces the U.S. Supreme Court decision…
Media
Read More: Lawmakers Must Prioritize Pro-Worker LegislationPublic Union Democracy
Enforcing Janus
The U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Janus v. AFSCME is a landmark decision for public sector workers—yet is not self-enforcing. It's time for Pennsylvania lawmakers to defend public sector employees' new-found rights…
Media
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Back-to-School Disappointment for Thousands
Thousands of kids across Pennsylvania are finishing up their first month of school. For many of them, the beginning of the school year is an exciting chance to catch up with…
Media
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Safe and Smart: Tearing Down Obstacles to Work
What does Pennsylvania gain from putting up more barriers to work for people getting out of prison? Making the comeback from a criminal conviction to rejoining the community is hard…
Media
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Opportunity Denied: To Meet Demand, Tax Credit Scholarship Caps Must Expand
The 2018-19 state budget included a $25 million expansion of Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program. This will allow up to 15,000 additional students to receive scholarships. While helpful, 52,857…
Memo
Read More: Opportunity Denied: To Meet Demand, Tax Credit Scholarship Caps Must ExpandEducation
Opportunity Denied: 50,000+ Tax Credit Scholarship Applications Rejected Annually
Pennsylvania’s tax credit scholarship programs are so popular that they could double in size and still not meet demand. That’s a major finding of a new report by the…
Press Release
Read More: Opportunity Denied: 50,000+ Tax Credit Scholarship Applications Rejected AnnuallyPublic Union Democracy
Lawmakers and Union Leaders Attack Election Privacy
Today, Rep. Maureen Madden and Rep. Thomas Mehaffie introduced anti-worker legislation that would strip government workers of privacy rights in workplace elections and give union leaders workers’ personal information. HB…
Press Release
Read More: Lawmakers and Union Leaders Attack Election PrivacyPublic Union Democracy
Legislation Moves to Enforce Workers’ Rights
In the first full session day after the landmark Janus v. AFSCME U.S. Supreme Court decision, the state House Labor Committee passed legislation to protect the rights of public sector…
Media
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Note from the Team
New Hires and Internships at CF this fall.
Commentary
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Note from the Team
New Hires and Internships at CF this fall.
Commentary
Read More: Note from the TeamPublic Union Democracy
House Committee Advances Bills Giving Government Workers a Bigger Voice
Today, the Pennsylvania House Labor and Industry Committee passed several crucial bills supporting government workers’ constitutional rights. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Janus v. AFSCME that…
Press Release
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Values in Action at ABARTA Coca-Cola Plant
CF picks up some lessons in leadership at Bitzer-owned distribution plant in Lemoyne…
Commentary
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Values in Action at ABARTA Coca-Cola Plant
CF picks up some lessons in leadership at Bitzer-owned distribution plant in Lemoyne…
Commentary
Read More: Values in Action at ABARTA Coca-Cola Plant
Janus and Pennsylvania: A Legal Analysis
How does the constitutional right of free speech for union workers apply in Pennsylvania?…
Commentary
Read More: Janus and Pennsylvania: A Legal Analysis