From jobs that pay too little to homes that cost too much, Kentuckians feel the affordability crisis every day. But the state can do something about it, according to a new report from the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy (KyPolicy).
Next month, when the Kentucky General Assembly gavels in for the 2026 legislative session, it has the power to begin unrigging the economy by putting working families, instead of the wealthy few, first.
“Building a Kentucky Workers Can Afford” provides a blueprint.
“The working class drives prosperity, and it’s time for an agenda in Frankfort that puts them first,” said KyPolicy Executive Director Jason Bailey. “From the state’s rural counties to our biggest cities, it’s Kentuckians — whether white, black, or brown — who make it all go. Supported by policies that reward their efforts and prioritize their concerns, more Kentuckians would be far better off.”
This report contains ideas proven to work in other states and in Kentucky’s past, including:
- Increasing job quality by improving wages and working conditions, growing labor unions, and making education and training more affordable.
- Strengthening communities by building affordable housing, reinvesting in public schools and increasing resilience to natural disasters.
- Supporting families by helping kids thrive, fighting rising health care costs and expanding secure retirements.
A key part of implementing these strategies is balancing Kentucky’s upside-down tax code that has resulted in the richest 5% of Kentuckians paying an astounding $3.4 billion less a year in state and federal taxes than they were just a decade ago. A windfall tax on the wealthy that asks those at the top to pay what they owe would go a long way in funding the investments requiring new resources in this report.
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