Rising Kentucky Prison Population Should Make Penal Code Reform a 2017 Priority
The governor’s announcement today about the formation of a Criminal Justice Policy Assessment Council to work toward needed reforms is...
Five Reasons Cutting Higher Education Hurts Low-Income and Minority Kentuckians
Higher education funding issues in Kentucky have been in the news a lot recently — for ranking among the worst in the country for per-student cuts in a new report;...
Indiana Medicaid Waiver Model Should Not Be Replicated in Kentucky Without Evaluation
With Kentucky considering pursuing a waiver that makes changes to its Medicaid program — and looking at Indiana’s waiver design in particular — it is important to keep in mind...
Questions and Concerns About the Senate’s Performance-Based Funding Proposal
The model for performance-based funding outlined in the Senate budget proposal raises some questions and concerns about how the money would be distributed and what the likely outcomes would be...
House Budget Would Make College More Affordable for Kentuckians
In recent years, Kentucky has had among the largest state budget cuts to higher education in the nation and steepest tuition increases. By ending cuts to state universities and community...
Criminal Justice Reform Bill Would Save State Money and Reduce Recidivism
While our state has taken some important steps in passing criminal justice reform legislation in 2011, additional reforms are needed. HB 412, a bill sponsored by Representative Yonts, would further...
Cuts to Adult Education Would Decrease Access to GED Credential
The cuts in the governor’s budget proposal would hit Kentucky Adult Education (KYAE) hard — reducing Kentuckians’ access to the supports needed to prepare for and pass the GED test....
Cuts to Property Valuation Administrators Counterproductive
Kentucky’s Property Valuation Administrators (PVAs) testified to a House budget review subcommittee yesterday that proposed budget cuts could compromise the state’s ability to generate property tax revenue. Such cuts may...
Cuts to Community Colleges Mean Disinvestment in Kentucky’s Primary Workforce Development Source
Governor Bevin’s interest in investing in workforce development is a notable priority. However, the approach outlined in his budget proposal decreases investment in the state’s primary site of workforce development:...
Tuition Freeze Is Not Proper Answer to College Affordability Problem Given Large, Continuous Budget Cuts
With the steep increases in tuition at Kentucky’s public universities and community colleges in recent years, a state mandated tuition freeze as proposed in SB 75 might sound like a...