New Tax Breaks Are Not Free
This General Assembly, like prior ones, includes a slew of bills that would create new or expand existing tax breaks...
Blog
Questions and Answers on Performance Funding for Higher Education
The theory behind performance based funding for higher education in Kentucky is that tying some funding for the state’s public universities and community colleges to outcomes could incentivize the institutions...
How Would the Performance Funding Proposal Impact Low-Income, Minority and Academically Underprepared Students?
We have previously written about how while a performance model could potentially promote success for all Kentucky students, depending on how it is designed, it could instead result in unintended...
Kentucky’s Experience with High Risk Pool Shows Dangers of ACA Repeal
Repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) means going back in time to before the law existed or to some as yet undefined “replacement” plan. Some in favor of repeal...
Many Kentuckians Work in Bad Jobs
Anecdotal claims are often made that many good jobs are available across the state but Kentucky lacks a workforce skilled and responsible enough to fill those jobs. But the fact...
What’s In the Criminal Justice Reform Bill, and What’s Not
Senate Bill 120, the bill coming out of the state’s Criminal Justice Policy Assessment Council (CJPAC), proposes some positive steps to address barriers to successful reentry often experienced by former...
Harsher Criminal Penalties Not a Proven Way to Address Heroin Problem
We all want to see Kentucky address its devastating drug problems. The issue touches individuals and families from all walks of life across Kentucky, and too many of us have...
Not Yet to Full Economic Recovery
The economy as a whole has been slowly improving and Kentucky’s unemployment rate has fallen from 10.9 percent in June 2009 to 4.8 percent now — the lowest rate since...
No Need to Overinflate Pension Liabilities
Lately the governor is saying Kentucky’s unfunded pension liabilities are not the $33 billion reported by the systems’ actuaries, but a much larger $82 billion. That estimate is based on...
Will More Revenue from Tax Reform Be Real and Sustaining?
Governor Bevin suggested in his State of the Commonwealth speech that his tax plan will generate more revenue to help Kentucky pay down its large unfunded pension liabilities. Kentucky needs more...