🚨Data centers have been touting the local taxes they will generate as a main reason Kentucky communities should let them locate there. But at the same time, a quiet but public legal strategy is under way that would let them *avoid* paying much of those taxes. See NEW from @kypolicy.bsky.social:

How Data Centers Could Skirt Local Taxes - Kentucky Center for Economic Policy

Promised local revenue from Kentucky data centers may be much smaller than advertised due to significant potential tax breaks.

kypolicy.org

Voters in neighboring state Missouri today considered a proposal to eliminate their individual income tax, which the Ky legislature has also made a goal in law. What did the people say? 1/5

A single proposed data center in Barren County says it will purchase $15.4 B of equipment to outfit it. That could mean an initial sales tax break of up to $924 million under KY’s 2025 law—and more tax breaks every 3-5 yrs when the equipment is replaced, for up to 50 years 1/2

Just this week, news of 2 more proposed data centers in KY totaling $22 billion. Most of that cost is equipment, which the state exempted from the 6% sales tax. Do the math on what that tax break is worth and you get a huge $--money that doesn't go to Medicaid, housing, schools, etc.

Kentucky's tax break for data centers was estimated at $15M/yr, but the cost could easily balloon to *billions* with the massive hyperscale centers now being proposed. New @kypolicy.bsky.social brief on the incentive & how other states are rethinking their subsidies: kypolicy.org/kentucky-dat...

Is Kentucky About to Give Billions in Tax Breaks to Data Centers? - Kentucky Center for Economic Policy

Under current law, Kentucky could give away billions in tax breaks to data center developers.

kypolicy.org

New @kypolicy.bsky.social report identifies the counties at greatest risk of poorer health and economic loss from state and federal cuts to Medicaid:

State and federal cuts to Medicaid will take coverage away from Kentuckians and weaken local economies that depend on health care jobs. Which Kentucky counties will be hurt the most? Find out in the new @kypolicy.bsky.social Medicaid Cuts Vulnerability Index kypolicy.org/kentucky-med...

Medicaid Cut Vulnerability Index Shows Which Kentucky Counties Are Most at Risk - Kentucky Center for Economic Policy

While Kentuckians across the state will be hurt by Medicaid cuts, residents of these counties will be harmed more than others.

kypolicy.org

Man, nobody could build a shithouse like the WPA.

Kentucky ranks 2nd-worst of all states in the share of unemployed workers getting unemployment benefits at an astonishing 10.6% 🧵

No one else can do what the Lee Clinic does: www.courier-journal.com/story/opinio...

Lee Clinic employees transform lives. They need funding. | Opinion

Behind the budget numbers are extraordinary people at the Lee Specialty Clinic playing roles no one else can — and no one else will without funding.

courier-journal.com

Support for the Lee Specialty Clinic serves as a reminder that public employees work hard every day on work that benefits others. Public employees keep us safe, teach our kids and build roads. In some cases, like the staff at Lee, they are heroes who transform lives.

Op-Ed on the Lee Specialty Clinic: Behind budget numbers are real and sometimes extraordinary people doing work no one else can

5 simple things to know about the state budget and the new cuts to health services:

NEW: 42,870 Kentuckians have lost SNAP benefits since the implementation of the Big Beautiful Bill's (H.R. 1) new eligibility rules last fall. That includes 11,168 children. kypolicy.org/kentucky-sna...

Over 40,000 Kentuckians Have Lost Food Assistance Since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act - Kentucky Center for Economic Policy

Eligibility restrictions in the OBBBA have stripped more than 42,000 Kentuckians, including 11,000 children, of food assistance.

kypolicy.org

How to turn the boomer retirement wave into a generational opportunity From @jbaileyky.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2026/05/22/h...

How to turn the boomer retirement wave into a generational opportunity • Kentucky Lantern

The "silver tsunami" of boomer aging means one in five Kentuckians will be over age 65 by 2030. The percentage above 80 will nearly double by 2040.

kentuckylantern.com

The aging of the baby boomers is changing everything about our life and economy. In our new Op-Ed, we explain actions Kentucky urgently needs to take www.courier-journal.com/story/opinio...

KY healthcare, housing, jobs aren't ready for aging boomers | Opinion

One in five KY residents will be over age 65 by 2030. The baby boomer 'silver tsunami' is a crisis that offers hope for the future.

courier-journal.com

A 2022 law passed by the General Assembly deeply cut the weeks of unemployment benefits laid-off workers could receive. Now with hiring frozen and no net job growth statewide, jobless workers are rapidly running out of benefits. See link to new @KyPolicy piece in next tweet

New @kypolicy.bsky.social dive into the recent 5-year KY population trends. The data tells a story of an aging baby boomer population and the spike of COVID deaths in a state with low life expectancy, the importance of immigration and more. 1/2

The year-long debate about the Fayette County Public Schools budget is missing how state funding cuts created the context for shortfalls 1/2

The jobs boom has come to a halt, with federal data now showing that Kentucky has had *no* net new job growth over the last two years 1/2

NEW: In the final hours of the legislative session, lawmakers expanded tax breaks for already-subsidized industries, continuing a pattern of opaque decision-making that keeps the public in the dark on costly legislation that benefits powerful industries. kypolicy.org/hb-869-tax-b...

On Session’s Final Day, Lawmakers Pass New Tax Breaks for Already-Subsidized Industries - Kentucky Center for Economic Policy

Passed late in the legislative session, HB 869 expands tax breaks for already-subsidized industries such as real estate developers and fuel producers.

kypolicy.org

The huge Budget Reserve Trust Fund balance that the legislature built up using COVID-related surpluses will diminish dramatically because of the spending on local projects and programs contained in the new budget. 1/

Small changes to the state budget are being made today. ~30 more earmarks are added using rainy day $, universities lose bond $ but gain some of cut operating funds, & $67M previously earmarked for state worker wage compression gets diverted. Updated here: kypolicy.org/budget-agree...

Budget Agreement Cuts and Freezes Funding for Most Services, Continues to Underfund Medicaid - Kentucky Center for Economic Policy

The legislative chambers have agreed to a new two-year state budget (HB 500, later amended by SB 197) that includes 7% cuts to many state agencies. The agreement falls $691 million short of fully fund...

kypolicy.org

The spike in gas prices from the U. S. war in Iran is costing Kentuckians $175 million a month. That's more per driver than all but 3 states. 1/2

The General Assembly is passing the budget agreement today. Reflecting the lost revenue from recent income tax cuts, it cuts & freezes funding for most services and underfunds current Medicaid benefits by $691 million. The initial @KyPolicy analysis here: kypolicy.org/budget-agree...

Budget Agreement Cuts and Freezes Funding for Most Services, Continues to Underfund Medicaid - Kentucky Center for Economic Policy

The legislative chambers have agreed to a new two-year state budget (HB 500) that includes 7% cuts to many state agencies. The agreement falls $691 million short of fully funding the continuing cost o...

kypolicy.org

The recent run-up in gas prices is costing Kentuckians $175 million a month. That's $46.69 each month for every Kentuckian, the 4th-worst among states.

Billionaire-inspired bill would separate KY workers from their rights kentuckylantern.com/2026/03/27/b...

Billionaire-inspired bill would separate KY workers from their rights • Kentucky Lantern

Billionaires are seeking to weaken Kentucky workers further and grow their already unimaginable wealth and power.

kentuckylantern.com

The Senate budget eases some cuts proposed by the House by spending $ that the House put into the already huge rainy day fund. It also includes a 13th check for retirees. But it includes less in K-12 SEEK than the House budget and continues 7% cuts for many agencies.

When the state refuses to cover the full cost of public school transportation, districts are forced to take money from students and teachers to cover the gap. The House budget continues this trend, underfunding school transportation by $93m in each of the next two years. The Senate should fix this.

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

NKU projects $1.9M deficit in 2027 amid enrollment declines, proposed state funding cuts • Kentucky Lantern

Northern Kentucky University projects a $1.9 million deficit in fiscal 2027 due to declining enrollment, possible state funding cuts and planned raises.

kentuckylantern.com