Tax & Budget
KYA is a member of the State Fiscal Analysis Initiative (SFAI), a national effort of nonpartisan and nonprofit organizations in 29 states. Through this network, KYA provides rigorous policy analysis of fiscal issues that impact children and low-income families. KYA collaborates with the public, advocacy groups and government to:
- Provide research on state budget and tax policies;
- Emphasize state fiscal policies that promote long-term economic vitality,
- Demonstrate the impact of tax and budget decisions on low-income and other vulnerable populations, especially children.
Financial support for Kentucky Youth Advocate’s SFAI work is funded by the generous support of local and regional foundations, individual donors, and national foundations including the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Open Society Institute, and the Stoneman Family Foundation. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities provides technical assistance to member groups.
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Reports & Press Releases
- Transparency in State Government Budgeting and Finances
While much has been written about what constitutes a preferred fiscal structure or sound fiscal policies for state governments, the government’s success or failure in implementing these policies cannot be assessed without public access and review.
- Governor Beshear's Vetoes to the Budget
Governor Beshear vetoed ten provisions in the Executive Branch Budget bill, HB 406 and one item in the Judicial Budget bill, HB 408. The General Assembly adjourned without acting to override the vetoes. The vetoes have little monetary impact on the budget.
- Income Inequality Growing in Kentucky and the Nation
Kentucky ranks sixth in the nation in the growth in inequality between the top and bottom fifth of income levels over the past twenty years. What’s more, Kentucky’s gap between the richest and poorest families is 10th largest in the nation. April 2008
- The General Assembly Reaches a Budget Compromise
After several days of heated discussions Kentucky's House of Representatives and Senate finally reached a budget compromise. The compromise includes no additional taxes and makes cuts to a variety of agencies. The Governor has indicated he won't veto the entire budget, but he now has until the end of the day on April 14th to line-item veto any specific budget provisions. April 2008
- The Kentucky Senate's Budget
Kentucky's Senate made several changes to the budget proposal with the primary difference being a rejection of the new taxes proposed by the House. The Senate's budget relies in part on a larger portion of Kentucky Lottery receipts going to the General Fund. Now, the two chambers negotiate the differences with the hope of reaching an agreement before the Veto period begins. March 2008
- The Kentucky House of Representatives' Budget
Kentucky's House of Representatives passsed their version of the budget. Find out the key differences in the House's budget versus the Governor Beshear's proposed budget as the Senate begins reviewing and preparing a response. March 2008
Sunshine Week is a national initiative organized by the American Society of Newspaper Editors to highlight the importance of open government and freedom of information. Across the country, print, broadcast and online news media, civic groups and nonprofits organize activities to emphasize the importance of open government at all levels, access to information and the public’s right to know. The initiative encourages citizens to become informed and engaged in the process of government and by doing so, bettering themselves and their communities. For more information, click on this link. March 2008
- Kentucky's Structural Deficit
The Commonwealth of Kentucky, like many other states, faces a budget shortfall that creates difficult decisions when it comes to setting spending priorities. Kentucky currently faces a structural deficit in which the amount of money needed to maintain current services exceeds the revenue generated by the state’s current tax system. March 2008
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Report: At Least 22 States Face a Budget Shortfall Including Kentucky
At least twenty-two states, including Kentucky, face budget shortfalls in fiscal year 2009 according to a report issued by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), a Washington, D.C. based policy organization. March 2008
- Increasing the Cigarette Excise Tax Would Provide More Revenue and Would Not Hamper Cross Border Sales
With the legislature considering raising the cigarette excise tax, KYA's research shows that the previous increase did little to stymie cross-border sales. However, the increase did provide additional revenues. March 2008
- Governor Beshear's Proposed Plan to Expand Gambling
Governor Steve Beshear released his legislative proposal to expand gambling yesterday and the corresponding legislation has been introduced. HB 550 is the Constitutional amendment that contains proposed ballot language and HB 537 is the enabling legislation should the referendum pass. If approved, the state would allow expanded gambling at twelve locations across the state. February 2008
- Governor Beshear's Budget Address
Governor Beshear's budget proposal lays out a scaled down spending plan for the Commonwealth. February 2008
- Budget Briefing
On February 4th, 2008, Kentucky Youth Advocates hosted a briefing on the Governor’s proposed budget, the state's poverty rates and what large program areas such as Medicaid and the Pension system are facing in light of the revenue shortfalls. If you would like to have more information on the day's program, please contact Tracy Goff-Herman. February 2008
- Tax Justice Day
Members of the Kentucky Economic Justice Alliance gathered at the Capitol to encourage legislators to support tax reform. HB 262, the Kentucky Forward bill, provides moderate and measured revenue enhancement and provides an earned income tax credit for Kentucky’s working poor. For more information visit KEJA. February 2008
This brief examines the federal EITC and the benefits a state-level EITC would provide to Kentucky’s working families if such a credit were implemented in the Commonwealth. January 2008
Study reveals that there is a clear opportunity to increase the excise tax as both a fiscal strategy and commitment to health. December 2007
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Report Gives Kentucky State Government an "F" for Online Transparency
The Good Jobs First Study ranked state websites for quantity and quality of online disclosure. November 2007
Kentucky ’s income and poverty rates remain worse off than much of the rest of the country. September 2007
Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States
According to the U.S. Census Bureau report released today, about 700,000 Kentuckians live in poverty and nearly one in ten of Kentucky’s children have no health insurance. August 2007
“The High Price of Being Poor in Kentucky” finds that lower income
Kentuckians pay some of the highest prices in the state for basic goods and services, hindering their ability to get ahead and adding up to hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars in extra costs every year. June 2007
- Kentucky’s Tax Modernization:
Does it Increase the State’s Risk of a Structural Deficit?
On March 18, 2005, Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher signed into law a tax modernization package designed to better attract and retain jobs and spur economic growth. Now, more than two years later, does Governor Fletcher’s tax plan truly improve the security of Kentucky’s tax revenues in the long-term? May 2007
Kentucky is losing hundreds of millions of dollars every year due to corporate tax loopholes. Kentucky Youth Advocates has issued a report describing these loopholes and how a tax reporting requirement mandated in twenty states can thwart them all. April 2007
As tax day approaches, consider this: What if you could deduct your mortgage or rent payment from your taxes, but instead of mailing your check to your bank or landlord, you mailed it to yourself? A KYA report finds that state multi-corporations use a loophole to do just that. March 2007
- "Is There a Budget Surplus in Frankfort?" (ppt) presented by Debra Miller, Kentucky Youth Advocates January 2007
- "Why Federal Budget and Tax Issues Are Kentucky's Issues" (ppt) presented by Melanie Nathanson, Director of the Federal Budget Initiative at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Washington, DC. December 2006