Questions Grow About Who Will Pay the Cost for Big Data Centers in Kentucky
Large “hyperscale” data centers are spreading nationwide, and questions have grown about their true costs and benefits. These projects often...
Report
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...
Building a Kentucky Workers Can Afford
Hard work runs deep in Kentucky. Kentuckians dug the coal that powered the 20th century and raised the food that fed a nation. Now, workers are more likely to move...
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...
For the Same Cost as a Half-Point Income Tax Cut, Kentucky Could Meaningfully Reinvest in Public Education
In the 2025 General Assembly, Kentucky lawmakers reduced the individual income tax rate from 4% to 3.5%, a cut that will take effect on Jan.1, 2026. That cut will cost...
The Hidden Web of Criminal Legal System Fines and Fees in Kentucky
Thousands of provisions in Kentucky state law, and untold local ordinances, make up a vast, hidden web of criminal legal system fines and fees that trap many people in a...
Red Tape, Empty Plates: An Analysis of the SNAP Work Requirement in Kentucky
Recent state and federal policy debates around the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have frequently returned to the requirement that certain adults report work hours in order to receive food...
Increased Unionization of Kentucky’s Auto Industry Would Help Return It to the High Road of Good Jobs
Workers at the Ford/BlueOval SK (BOSK) battery plant in Glendale, Kentucky have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to unionize and join the United Auto Workers (UAW)....
Children in the Balance: Kentucky Reforms Successfully Diverted More Kids from Detention, but Now Those Gains Are at Risk
Executive Summary In 2014, the Kentucky General Assembly passed Senate Bill (SB) 200 with the goal of reforming the state’s juvenile justice system. The bill accomplished many of its primary...
The Case for Paid Parental Leave for Kentucky State Employees
Paid parental leave has countless benefits for workers, children and families. It is also critical to attracting and retaining a high-quality workforce. A growing number of employers across Kentucky recognize...