The State of Working Kentucky 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing economic downturn reshaped Kentucky’s economy in ways that are still revealing themselves thirty months after...
Research
Flood Relief Legislation Only a First Step, Leaves Out Housing Aid
A relief package introduced in the special legislative session includes over $200 million to help with emergency costs for local governments, schools, utilities, infrastructure and other needs in the wake...
When Disaster Strikes, Disaster SNAP Helps Feed Kentuckians
In addition to the extreme emotional and physical toll recent flooding took on the people of eastern Kentucky, the disaster caused severe and lasting financial challenges in the form of income...
State Must Go Beyond FEMA Aid to Adequately Address Housing Need From Eastern Kentucky Floods
The multi-colored houses on Knott County’s Rainbow Lane were reduced to rubble. Raging flood waters tossed and twisted mobile homes in Letcher County. In Hazard, an engorged North Fork lifted...
Kentucky Must Do More to Increase Flood Resilience
The catastrophic flooding that recently hit southeastern Kentucky resulted in the death of 39 people, devastated communities and destroyed many homes and buildings. The problem is not new: Kentucky has...
Most Kentucky Teachers and School Staff Start Year Without Meaningful Raises
Stagnant salaries are contributing to a growing teacher shortage in Kentucky and across the nation, as the school year begins in many areas of the state. An inadequate number of...
What the New Climate and Health Legislation Will Mean for Kentucky
President Biden on Tuesday signed new legislation that takes critical steps toward addressing the climate crisis, improves access to affordable health care, creates jobs in clean energy and puts downward...
Personnel Cabinet Recommends Improving Compensation to Stave off State Workforce Crisis
Kentucky faces a crisis-level shortage of workers in state government. Past legislative actions resulting in poor job quality for public defenders, social workers and all other public service positions mean...
Temporary Surplus Should Not Trigger Permanent Tax Cuts that Threaten Future Budgets
Driven by a strong economic recovery and by high inflation, the state ended the year with a General Fund surplus of $1.034 billion more than projected. These extra dollars are...
The Economic Implications of an Abortion Ban in Kentucky
The Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade and ended federal protections for abortion access. The “trigger law” passed by the Kentucky legislature in 2019 makes nearly all abortion...