There Is a Choice Hidden in the Pages of the Next State Budget
Lawmakers in Frankfort have started the next two-year state budget process, and House leaders say this year will be different. Rather than introducing a plan and swiftly...
Budget & Tax
Legislature Wants to Take Power From the JCPS Board While Cutting Funding to Its Schools
Legislative leaders have been critical of Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) in recent years on issues ranging from student performance to transportation problems and budget shortfalls. In response to these...
Here’s How Much the House Budget Would Cut SEEK Payments to Your School District
This analysis is based on the initial version of House Bill 500. See here for an updated analysis on the how the House budget would affect SEEK payments. As introduced,...
How the Kentucky State Budget Works
The Kentucky state legislature has no more important job than passing a state budget. The budget allows us to come together to pay for schools, roads, state parks and many other programs and services that benefit us...
Property Tax Is Vital to Funding Schools, Public Safety and Other Local Services
Kentucky’s property tax is a cornerstone of how we fund public services that keep our communities safe, educated and healthy — especially at the local level. Approximately $5 billion is collected in Kentucky annually from property taxes, which apply to real...
Governor Proposes Tight Budget for Ongoing Services, Using Reserve Funds to Help Household Affordability Needs
Governor Beshear's budget proposes using nearly $1 billion from the state’s $3.7 billion Budget Reserve Trust Fund (BRTF) to fill gaps in household affordability needs, address some of the fallout of H. R. 1, and for other infrastructure and education projects. The remainder of the budget contains a combination...
A State Budget for an Affordable Kentucky: Preview of the 2026–2028 Budget of the Commonwealth
In the 2026 legislative session, the Kentucky General Assembly will perform its most important job — crafting a two-year state budget that funds education, health, social services and other critical...
State and Federal Tax Cuts of the Last Decade Are Giving an Enormous Windfall to the Wealthiest Kentuckians
The Kentucky General Assembly will create a new two-year budget in 2026 in the face of declining state revenues and substantial new costs passed down from Congress. Large recent state income tax cuts and a slowing national economy are already causing...
Kentucky Is Now a Casino State: Slot Machine Gambling Surpasses $10 Billion Annually, But at What Cost?
Kentucky has rapidly become a casino state as legalized slot machine gambling has proliferated across the bluegrass in recent years. With 13 facilities now operating thousands of slot machines, the...
Tracker: How the White House and DOGE Are Cutting Kentucky Jobs and Services
The Trump administration, with the help of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is cutting federal grants, programs and employment across the nation. These reductions are already affecting public services...