House Bill 3 Proposes Harmful, Regressive Policy Changes to Kentucky’s Juvenile System
A robust body of research shows that locking kids behind bars harms their mental and physical well-being, gets in the...
Cutting Bourbon Industry Taxes Harms the Communities That Sustain It
Kentucky’s bourbon and spirits industry had a banner year in 2022, with announcements of a record $2.1 billion in new investments. According to the Kentucky Distillers Association (KDA), 2.4 million...
Ailing Juvenile System Needs Investment and Care, Not Harsher Penalties
The bipartisan working group on Kentucky’s Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) wrapped up last week, and the legislature heads back into session tomorrow. There are several key issues to keep...
Kentucky Should Not Volunteer for Greater Inequality by Becoming More Like Tennessee
The effort to reduce Kentucky’s income tax – the source of 41% of state revenue – gives a big tax break to the wealthy and will harm funding for public...
Kentucky’s ‘Booming’ Bourbon Industry Doesn’t Need Another Tax Cut
Kentucky’s bourbon and spirits industry had a banner year in 2022, with announcements of over $2.1 billion in new investments and 700 jobs created, both record highs. According to the...
Testimony on House Bill 1: Tax Cuts Benefit the Wealthy at the Expense of Everyone Else
Pam Thomas, Senior Fellow for KyPolicy, delivered the testimony below to the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee on Thursday, January 5. The committee was considering House Bill 1, which would...
Sending Public Money to Private Schools Breaks Kentucky’s Commitment to Students
Ample public investment in K-12 education is essential for Kentucky’s children to thrive. But instead of committing to funding the many different components of successful public schools, including skilled teachers,...
State Must Go Beyond FEMA Aid to Adequately Address Housing Need From Eastern Kentucky Floods
The multi-colored houses on Knott County’s Rainbow Lane were reduced to rubble. Raging flood waters tossed and twisted mobile homes in Letcher County. In Hazard, an engorged North Fork lifted...
Kentucky Must Do More to Increase Flood Resilience
The catastrophic flooding that recently hit southeastern Kentucky resulted in the death of 39 people, devastated communities and destroyed many homes and buildings. The problem is not new: Kentucky has...
Most Kentucky Teachers and School Staff Start Year Without Meaningful Raises
Stagnant salaries are contributing to a growing teacher shortage in Kentucky and across the nation, as the school year begins in many areas of the state. An inadequate number of...