NKU projects $1.9M deficit in 2027 amid enrollment declines, proposed state funding cuts @haleyparnell.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2026/03/05/n...

When it comes to education, the House budget that passed last week was an improvement on the initial draft. But an estimated 82% of school districts would still receive lower inflation-adjusted state SEEK payments in 2028 than they did in 2026. kypolicy.org/hb-500-house...

For more than 20 years, the legislature has suspended its own law and funded school transportation at a lower amount than required. That continues in the House budget that passed last week, but it can and should end this session. New @kypolicy.bsky.social analysis in the link below

House A&R committee just passed a new version of the budget that removes the cap on health insurance but still contains substantial cuts and frozen funding while adding $604M to an already huge Budget Reserve Trust Fund. See the @KyPolicy analysis here: kypolicy.org/hb-500-state...

Who is hurt by the health insurance cap in HB 500? Rural counties are more likely to have KEHP members in their community, in part because school systems and public employment make up a larger share of the jobs. Link to new analysis below

State Medicaid costs in KY are not unusual & are not ballooning. Growth in spending comes from payments lawmakers have enacted to help hospitals with reimbursements--which don't come out of the General Fund. 1/2 kypolicy.org/state-budget...

‘Scrap the Cap’ campaign launched against possible insurance hike in Kentucky GOP budget fox56news.com/news/kentuck...

State workers and retirees launch 'Scrap the Cap' campaign against proposed health insurance cost shifts www.lex18.com/news/coverin...

The award-winning Fort Logan hospital birthing center in Stanford is shuttering. Fort Logan is one of 35 Kentucky rural hospitals identified at risk of closure from the Medicaid cuts passed in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that passed Congress last summer.

A new federal Constitutional Convention, which the Governor of Florida is in Frankfort today telling Kentucky we need to call for, is a bizarre and dangerous idea: kypolicy.org/kentucky-mus...

As introduced, the House budget bill doesn't just propose major cuts to the health care of school and state employees. It also includes over $100 million in cuts to the SEEK payments to school districts. See the link below for the potential cut to your local schools.

Kentuckians want better pay, a voice on the job, and policies that make life more affordable. What they don’t want is policies that make that harder—including tax cuts for the wealthy

Our episode this week is a good one! Want to know what’s in the draft of the budget? @jbaileyky.bsky.social is here to explain it! myoldkentuckypodcast.podbean.com/e/jason-bail...

Great to be on @myoldkypod.bsky.social last night to talk about the public employee health insurance debacle and the harm of state income tax cuts. Thanks @robertkahne.com and Jazmin myoldkentuckypodcast.podbean.com/e/jason-bail...

Here's an important issue related to the proposal to cut employee health insurance in the House budget. The legislature has taken $1.017 billion from the KY Employees Health Plan in recent years to balance the state budget. That money would otherwise be there to help cover costs.

The groups warned that ‘teachers (and) bus drivers will leave’ under proposed budget bill that would cut funding and cause state employees’ premiums to surge.

The health insurance shortfall that the House budget creates and would shift to employees is $279M. That same House budget leaves unspent *$1.1B*in tax revenue. Why? The only reason is to trigger more of those income tax cuts that go overwhelmingly to the wealthy

The average KY school bus driver makes $15,364/yr. At that income they've received *nothing* from reducing the state's income tax. But under the House budget, their healthcare costs would soar $6,422/yr. KY's richest 1%? They're getting $27,482/yr from the state income tax cuts.

ICYMI: over 300,000 Kentuckians receive health care through this plan, would face "devastating" cuts

Health insurance premiums for state and school employees could explode by *78%* because of language added to the House budget, having a "devastating impact on all...members and their dependents," according to a new letter from the Personnel Cabinet & reported by @austin-horn.bsky.social 1/

Important in-depth, fact-based budget analysis from @jbaileyky.bsky.social of @kypolicy.bsky.social: kentuckylantern.com/2026/02/11/a...

Commentary by @jbaileyky.bsky.social @kypolicy.bsky.social A choice is hidden in the pages of Kentucky’s next state budget. Who is Kentucky for? kentuckylantern.com/2026/02/11/a...

A choice is hidden in the pages of Kentucky’s next state budget kentuckylantern.com/2026/02/11/a...

Some state lawmakers want to take away the authority of the JCPS board of education to govern the local schools. But in recent decades, the state has taken less and less responsibility for actually funding JCPS. See more in our new analysis at the link below:

As introduced, the House budget cuts over $100M from SEEK payments to KY school districts. That means $25M less to JCPS ($37M less counting inflation), and up to 12% cuts in state/local SEEK by district. Find out how your district fares in the new @kypolicy.bsky.social analysis, link below:

New: UAW reaches landmark tentative contract deal with Volkswagen in Chattanooga Tennessee, including 20% across-the-board pay hikes www.bloomberg.com/news/article... "This contract is proof that if you stand up and stick together, you can win a better life”

A new poll of Kentucky voters finds broad, bipartisan support for raising pay, improving benefits, and giving workers a stronger voice on the job — reflecting deep concerns about affordability and a growing gap between the wealthy and everyone else. #kyga26

Kentucky’s support for unions, wealth tax growing, new poll shows www.courier-journal.com/story/news/l...

The House budget introduced today is what happens when tax cuts chickens start coming home to roost. See the @kypolicy.bsky.social analysis of how this proposal severely cuts and underfunds a variety of essential public services: kypolicy.org/house-budget...

Despite Ford's plans to shutter its electric vehicle battery plant in Kentucky next month, workers there have officially won their contested union election, as the NLRB ruled in their favor. Workers hope Ford gives preference and rights to those who are hired back by the retooled plant in 2027.

Gov. Beshear proposes a tight budget hampered by the loss of revenue from state income tax reductions, and proposes significant rainy day fund investments to address affordability. See the @KyPolicy analysis here: kypolicy.org/2026-governo...

NEW from me: The US is losing blue-collar jobs for the first time since early COVID or the Great Recession—the country has lost 65k jobs over the last year as manufacturing, transport, & mining employment decline, while growth in construction has nearly zeroed out www.apricitas.io/p/america-is...

The 2026 legislative session began today. Follow along here and on many other social platforms to stay informed about what's happening in Frankfort. And if you're not getting our newsletter, change that now: kypolicy.org/signup/ #kyga26

What’s the matter with Missouri? Explanation below

The state's next 1/2-point income tax cut has gone into effect, & the total cost of these cuts is now a stunning $2.1B a year. But in a new poll, only 9% of Kentucky voters say these cuts are helping them, 8% say they actually hurt, 40% say the cuts haven't affected them & 43% are "not sure."

Affordability is the word of the year, and government can do much more about it: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/05/o...

The new tax law President Trump signed earlier this year will send the richest 1% of households about $1 trillion in tax cuts over the next decade. For comparison, the bill’s cuts to Medicaid will total $930 billion over the same period. itep.org/2025-the-yea...

In new poll, Kentuckians say legislature’s income tax cuts are not helping them—and that they want to tax the rich more instead www.kentucky.com/opinion/op-e...

The Kentucky legislature has made cutting the individual income tax, the state's largest revenue source, its #1 priority in recent years. The cuts now cost $2.1B annually, or more than state spending on base K-12 school funding. Do Kentuckians say these cuts are helping them? 1/

Governor announcing a 3% cut to many executive agencies due to a budget shortfall caused by state income tax cuts. Says most agencies will not hire for positions that were funded to be filled. Worth noting that 1/3 of executive branch positions have been eliminated in recent decades

New from @propublica.org: KY is one of the states at serious budget risk because they cut taxes dramatically and now face new Medicaid & SNAP costs passed down by Congress. These states made permanent tax cuts skewed toward the wealthy based on temporary economic conditions.

Affordability is the major concern facing workers and families. In a new op-ed in @kentuckylantern.com we look at what’s behind the cost of living crunch and what state leaders can do about it. 1/

Commentary by Jason Bailey Affordability is a crisis for Kentuckians. Here’s what state leaders can do about it. @jbaileyky.bsky.social @kypolicy.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2025/12/03/a...

Some great ideas here from @jbaileyky.bsky.social at @kypolicy.bsky.social. kentuckylantern.com/2025/12/03/a...

Trump administration threatens to yank food stamps funding from KY, other Democratic-led states. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the states have not provided data needed to address fraud. @fischler.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2025/12/02/t...

Here's what we know about the affordability crisis in Kentucky. 1. Household costs are going up. Life feels more expensive because it is more expensive.

When misinformation runs rampant and the truth is hard to find, KyPolicy cuts through the noise to deliver fact-based research on critical public policy issues. That mission has never felt more vital. Please consider supporting us this #GivingTuesday: www.bggives.org/organization...

Please consider supporting this important organization, too. The fact-based research of @kypolicy.bsky.social is critical to advancing good public policy & opposing bad (which is so often divorced from data & derived from passions & prejudices).

When misinformation runs rampant and the truth is hard to find, @kypolicy.bsky.social cuts through the noise to deliver fact-based research and communications on critical public policy issues. Please consider supporting KyPolicy with a gift: #GivingTuesday www.bggives.org/organization...