Federal Investments Are Funding Improvements and Creating Jobs in Nearly All Kentucky Counties
Two recent federal industrial policies, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), have led to significant...
Research
New FBI Data Shows No Evidence of a Violent Crime Wave in Kentucky
Recently-released FBI crime data for 2023 shows a slight increase in total violent crime in Kentucky compared to 2022, but a closer look shows that while some crimes went up...
States With Private School Vouchers Have Lower Teacher Pay
If Amendment 2 passes on the ballot this November, it will allow politicians to divert public dollars to private schools. Recent experience in similar states shows that private school voucher...
For the Same Cost as Vouchers, Kentucky Could Meaningfully Reinvest in Public Education
Amendment 2 on the ballot in November would open the door wide for private school voucher programs in Kentucky. On the low end, a targeted voucher program could cost a...
New Census Data Shows More Is Needed to Cut Poverty and Improve Incomes
New Census data for 2023 shows that pandemic-era policies made a big difference in reducing poverty and increasing health care coverage rates for children in Kentucky. But those supports have...
Affordable Care Act Has Helped Make Insurance Affordable for a Decade, but Will Get More Expensive if Congress Doesn’t Act
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) created several new opportunities for health coverage in Kentucky that began in 2014, including a marketplace where Kentuckians with low wages can receive subsidized insurance...
The State of Working Kentucky 2024
The state of working Kentucky in 2024 includes good news on jobs but within the context of longstanding economic challenges and persistent pressures on household budgets. A rapid economic recovery...
Every Year Kentucky Intercepts Millions in Child Support Payments Owed to Low-Income Kids and Sends Most to Washington D.C.
The state’s basic cash assistance program, the Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (KTAP), provides critical support for families with young children to meet basic needs like rent, utilities, toiletries and school...
Legislature Moved Goalposts to Meet Conditions for Tax Cuts Whose Bill Is Now Coming Due
The conditions have been met for the General Assembly to potentially cut the individual income tax rate from 4% to 3.5% beginning Jan. 1, 2026, the State Budget Director announced...
Kentucky School Districts Brace for Expiration of Federal Funds That Sustained Schools for Several Years
As kids head back to the classroom in Kentucky this month, school districts are bracing for the loss of billions of dollars in vital federal funding that has greatly benefitted...