A Profile of New Americans in Kentucky
Kentucky’s immigrants come from all over the world and are broadly represented throughout the state’s workforce and economy. But the...
Research
What’s Behind the State’s Revenue Shortfall?
Now that Kentucky has ended its 2014 budget year, the governor’s office will announce how big the state’s year-end revenue shortfall is sometime in the next two weeks. It’s expected...
Why Kentucky Is Especially Vulnerable in Revenue Shortfall
Kentucky ended its 2014 budget year on June 30, and we will soon hear a final tally on the size of the state’s revenue shortfall. This spring, officials had predicted...
Lessening Burden of Student Loans One Step of Many Toward Greater College Affordability
There is a lot of focus this week on what can be done to address the student loan debt crisis—with cumulative U. S. student loan debt having reached $1.2 trillion...
There’s Precedent for the Transition Assistance Eastern Kentucky Needs
The new power plant rules proposed this week will make coal less competitive in the coming decades. It's just one factor pointing toward continued decline in eastern Kentucky coal production,...
The Real Threat to Kentucky Manufacturing Jobs
Expect to hear loud concerns next week that new rules to reduce the carbon emissions that cause climate change will harm Kentucky's economy, including the state’s electricity-intensive manufacturing jobs. Kentucky...
Growing Tuition Tax Credit Denies Students in Poverty Even As Need-Based College Aid is Underfunded
Kentucky’s recently released biennial tax expenditure report, which documents state spending through provisions in the tax code, shows a growing amount of money going to a program called the Postsecondary...
State EITC Would Make a Regressive Tax System Fairer
Previous posts have described how a state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) would help working low-income Kentuckians make ends meet and reach every corner of the state. A state EITC would also make...
Cutting State Income Taxes No Way to Attract New Residents
Anti-tax advocates often claim that cutting individual income taxes, especially for those at the top of the income scale, is vital if states want to keep wealthy people at home...
What Are Taxes For?
Tax Day is an important time for Kentuckians to consider the role of government in our state and nation. Taxes are a critical tool for doing things together that we...