From the KCEP: Please Help Steer Kentucky Toward Better Public Policy

Thanks to Jeff Wiggins for sending us this.

The public debate during the most recent election was a clear reminder of how important kitchen table issues are to Kentuckians. Supporting public schools, ensuring access to healthcare and protecting retirement security were at the forefront throughout.

Since our founding in 2011, the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy has been a voice of accountability on those issues: bringing the facts to bear on policy decisions and ensuring people understand the implications for our families and communities.

As someone who cares about making our commonwealth a better place for everyone, we ask for your financial support to help steer Kentucky toward better public policy.

Working with key partners, KCEP won real victories in 2019, including by:

• Protecting the nation’s leading Medicaid expansion from harmful barriers to health coverage that threatened to take healthcare from 100,000 people. The Medicaid expansion is saving lives, protecting families from unbearable medical debt and helping thousands better cope with chronic conditions.
• Preventing the passage of tax cuts that that would’ve drained revenue from our state budget, including proposals to provide tax subsidies to private schools and huge tax breaks to investment companies. Our analysis, communications and advocacy on those issues helped safeguard $125 million for state budget needs.
• Protecting the safety net from the biggest legislative attack proposed in any state in 2019, a bill that would’ve taken away living assistance from up to 28,000 low-income children, threatened SNAP benefits for 95,000 parents of kids as young as 6, and added expensive and unnecessary drug testing and photo ID requirements. We worked with partners to mobilize opposition that kept the bill from even being heard in committee.

KCEP’s work informs the debate on a wide range of issues from the need for criminal justice reform to address our overcrowded prisons and jails, to our moral and legal obligation to fund public employee pensions, to fair ways to generate much-needed revenue for our budget. We address racial and economic equity, food security, health, college affordability, job quality, education and more.

And people listen. KCEP’s information is part of the debate on the major economic issues. Our work is cited four times a week on average in the Kentucky media, used in floor speeches in the legislature and frequently shared across Facebook and Twitter.

With donations from people like you, KCEP is able to provide the facts about policies that shape our commonwealth’s future.

In just a couple short months, the General Assembly will convene to craft a very difficult new two-year state budget. Kentucky again faces a large structural deficit, and more budget cuts are likely on the table — on top of more than a decade of cuts to core services since the Great Recession. The results have included larger classrooms with fewer supports, waiting lists for people with disabilities needing services and higher college tuition. Without more revenue, we will continue to move backward even while other states are reinvesting in their schools, healthcare and communities.

We expect more debate on other important issues in the session ranging from pensions to the safety net to privatization. Critical reforms to the criminal justice system that begin to reduce our mass incarceration problem may be under serious consideration.

Decisions on these crucial issues sometimes happen fast in the General Assembly, and KCEP’s timely research makes sure the facts are available at key moments. Our experts understand the big issues facing the commonwealth, and are ready to churn out much needed, factual information.

Your donation creates the timely analysis, clear communications and effective advocacy Kentucky needs. Our work helps block harmful changes while setting a course for a brighter future.

Please consider a gift to KCEP today.

Sincerely,

Jason Bailey
Executive Director

P. S. Thank you for considering a donation of $50, $100, $500 or whatever amount you can afford to continue building a Kentucky that works for all!

The Kentucky Center for Economic Policy is a non-profit, non-partisan initiative that conducts research, analysis and education on important policy issues facing the Commonwealth. Launched in 2011, the Center is a project of the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED). For more information, please visit KCEP’s website at www.kypolicy.org