Kentucky’s Upside Down Tax System Asks the Least of Those at the Top
In Kentucky, the wealthiest residents pay the lowest overall state and local tax rate as documented in a new edition...
Blog
Kentucky Workers Left Behind as Majority of States Lift the Wage Floor
As momentum to increase the minimum wage grows around the country, Kentucky’s $7.25 minimum puts the Commonwealth in the unfortunate minority of states that haven’t boosted workers’ pay above the...
More Support for Family Caregivers Good for Seniors and State
Last year Kentucky ranked worst in the nation on the AARP Public Policy Institute’s scorecard on long-term care services and supports. A recent report by the Legislative Research Commission (LRC)...
Who Stands to Benefit from Louisville’s New Minimum Wage
An estimated 45,000 workers in Louisville/Jefferson County who would otherwise make less than $9 an hour will have higher wages once the new metro government minimum wage ordinance—the first such...
New Report Argues for Funding Proven Strategies to Enhance K-12 Student Achievement
Kentucky K-12 schools may be getting by with current levels of funding—which are among the nation’s deepest per-student cuts to education since the recession—but in order to realize the state’s...
Trade Deficit with China Has Cost 41,100 Kentucky Jobs, Many in Manufacturing
Kentucky has paid heavily for the U.S.’s growing trade deficit with China—41,100 fewer jobs between 2001 and 2013 according to a new report from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). Since...
Gas Tax Formula Needs Change to Protect Investments in Infrastructure
A drop in the price of gasoline means that, come January, Kentuckians will also pay 4.3 cents less per gallon in gas taxes. But while many drivers won’t even notice...
Despite Exemptions, Kentucky’s Sales Tax is Still Regressive
Some proponents of a local option sales tax are making the claim that the regressive nature of the sales tax is taken care of in Kentucky because the state exempts groceries...
Some Manufacturing Jobs Growing in Kentucky, but Not at Wages of Before
The recession hit Kentucky manufacturing jobs hard, with the state losing 48,800 or nearly 20 percent of its manufacturing employment between December 2007 and February 2010. In the last four...
Refinancing KTRS Debt a Sensible Step Toward Addressing Budget Challenge
Because of the recession and subsequent shortfalls in the state’s annual contributions to the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System (KTRS), the system’s liability is growing and the problem is becoming more...