Statement on Governor Beshear’s State of the Commonwealth Address
KCEP Director Jason Bailey released the following statement on Governor Beshear's State of the Commonwealth address: "Governor Beshear rightly focused...
Budget & Tax
Budget Preview Report: Kentucky Faces Choice of Reinvestment or Retrenchment in Next State Budget
Kentucky faces more cuts and continued underinvestment in critical services in the next two-year state budget unless lawmakers generate additional revenue, as outlined in KCEP’s new comprehensive budget preview report....
Official Revenue Estimate for Next Budget Slightly Worse than Weak October Forecast
The group of economists charged with predicting how much revenue Kentucky will have in the coming budget cycle approved a very modest revenue forecast for the next budget that’s slightly...
New Report Shows Continued Higher Education Gaps for Disadvantaged Students Alongside Funding Cuts
The state’s most recent accountability report for higher education—released this week—shows some progress in many areas but big challenges in college affordability and in addressing postsecondary degree attainment gaps for...
Vast Inequality in Wealth Means Poor School Districts Are Less Able to Rely on Local Property Taxes
The cuts in state and federal funding for education are hitting Kentucky's school districts hard, and many are raising local taxes in response. However, the same local property tax increase...
Presentation: Kentucky’s Budget Outlook
Kentucky lawmakers will begin assembling what Speaker Greg Stumbo recently called a "destructive" two-year state budget when it reconvenes in January. Current projections suggest the weakest revenue growth since the...
State Must Begin Meeting Responsibility to Teachers’ Retirement or Pay More Later
The state has not been making full required contributions to Kentucky teachers' retirement since 2009, and the impact of not making those payments has a compounding effect—meaning more costs for...
Preliminary Forecast Predicts Weakest Revenue Growth Since Recovery Began
Kentucky currently expects to craft its next two-year budget with the least amount of new General Fund revenue it has had since the recovery began. This bad news comes despite...
Sequestration Cutting Housing Assistance for Thousands of Low-Income Kentuckians
As many as 4,000 fewer low-income Kentucky families will receive rental assistance by the end of 2014 if Congress does not reverse or substantially mitigate the damage done by sequestration...
Revenue Forecast for Next Budget Remains Weak
Today the official group charged with forecasting state revenue again approved a very modest General Fund revenue estimate for the upcoming two-year budget. Compared to the draft forecast they chose...