# Bluegrass Institute
> Freedom-forward Ideas for the Commonwealth of Kentucky
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Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).

## Pages
- [About the Bluegrass Institute](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/about.md) - Vision: A Kentucky where liberty thrives, government is restrained, and free enterprise drives prosperity. Mission: The Bluegrass Institute works with Kentuckians, pro-liberty coalitions, grassroots organizations and business owners to advance freedom and prosperity by promoting individual liberty,…
- [Board of Directors](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/board-members.md) - Meet the Board Members of the Bluegrass Institute, leaders dedicated to advancing individual liberty, limited government, and free markets in the commonwealth. Their guidance is key to shaping a prosperous, innovative future for the state.
- [Caleb Franz](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/caleb-franz.md) - Caleb Franz Caleb Franz is a writer, researcher, storyteller and nonprofit professional residing in Lexington, Kentucky. He is the author of The Conductor: The Story of Rev. John Rankin, Abolitionism’s Essential Founding Father. Franz’s historical writing often highlights the forgotten people, plac…
- [calebobrown](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/calebobrown.md) - Caleb O. Brown is the CEO of the Bluegrass Institute.
- [Contact Us](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/contact-us.md) - Have questions or want to get involved? Reach out to the Bluegrass Institute team—we’re here to connect with you.
- [Donate](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/donate.md) - Fuel freedom and opportunity across Kentucky! Your donation enables the Bluegrass Institute to champion free-market solutions, ignite innovation and inspire Kentuckians to reclaim and protect their liberties. The Bluegrass Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan research and education organ…
- [Eric Schansberg](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/eric-schansberg.md) - Eric Schansberg Eric Schansberg, Ph.D., has been professor of economics at Indiana University Southeast in New Albany, Indiana, since 1992. Schansberg, who earned his Ph.D. at Texas A&M University, has authored two books on public policy – “Poor Policy: How Government Harms the Poor” and “Turn Neit…
- [Upcoming Events](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/events.md)
- [Events](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/events3.md) - Discover upcoming events from the Bluegrass Institute focused on advancing free-market ideas in Kentucky. Join us for engaging discussions, expert insights, and opportunities to connect with leaders driving policy and progress.
- [Gary Houchens](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/gary-houchens.md) - Gary Houchens Gary Houchens, Ph.D., is professor and director of the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program at Western Kentucky University. He's a former teacher, principal and district administrator in both public and private K-12 education settings. Houchens, who earned his Ph.D. at the Universi…
- [Learn More](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/get-involved.md) - Advance policies that elevate liberty and prosperity in the Bluegrass State Subscribe to get regular updates about our work advancing individual liberty, limited government and free markets in the commonwealth. Subscribe Fuel Kentucky’s future of freedom Our partners help us create new opportunitie…
- [Home-Issues](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/home-issues.md)
- [Our Work](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/home-support.md) - The Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions works with Kentuckians, pro-liberty coalitions, grassroots organizations and business owners to advance freedom and prosperity by promoting free-market capitalism, individual liberty and transparent government.
- [KY Public School Districts: Facts & Trends](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/ky-public-school-district-facts-trends-summary.md)
- [News Releases](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/media-releases.md) - For members of the media, follow the work of the Bluegrass Institute here.
- [Our Policy Pillars](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/our-work.md) - Our mission is anchored in advancing individual liberty, limited and transparent, government, and free markets through core policy pillars to promote lasting reform and unlock opportunity for all Kentuckians. Educational Freedom Every child deserves a high-quality education tailored to their needs.…
- [Pension Reform](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/pension-reform.md) - 'If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.' -Will Rogers Kentucky faces one of the nation's most severely underfunded public pension systems. We maintain that past pension commitments to retirees must be honored, despite the significant cost to the state. However, future benefits must be afford…
- [Scholars](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/scholars.md) - Vicki Alger Education Choice Researcher Profile Jaimie Cavanaugh Regulatory Policy Analyst Profile Angela C. Erickson Scholar Profile Caleb Franz Historian Profile Charles Gardner Scholar Profile John Garen Economist Profile Vance Ginn Economist Profile Stephan F. Gohmann Economist, University of L…
- [School Choice](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/school-choice.md) - The Bluegrass Institute has fought for higher-quality education through public charter schools and other policies like tax-credit scholarships
- [Staff Members](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/staff-members.md) - Meet the team at the Bluegrass Institute, Kentucky's leading free-market think tank. Dedicated to empowering Kentuckians with innovative solutions, our staff works to drive economic opportunity and prosperity for a brighter future.

## Posts
- [The Supreme Court has a message for Kentucky on surveillance: Get a warrant](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/scotus-flock.md) - Flock cameras now blanket the commonwealth. A new state law gestures at the problem but is riddled with exceptions
- [Kentucky school choice will benefit all students — including those in public schools](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/school-choice-benefit-all-students.md) - Reasonable people can disagree about education policy. They can disagree about charter schools, vouchers, and the proper role of government in education. But House Bill 1 is different from many of those debates.
- [Don’t want data centers spiking your power bill? Let them build their own grid](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/hl-cre-jv.md) - There is a simple answer, and Kentucky law currently forbids it: let large consumers build their own grid.
- [Kentucky Officially Opts in to Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Program](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/kentucky-officially-opts-in-to-federal-scholarship-tax-credit-program.md) - Bluegrass Institute CEO Caleb O. Brown delivered remarks with Secretary of State Michael G. Adams and State Representative TJ Roberts.
- [Kentucky's Switch from the ACT to the SAT: Frequently Asked Questions](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/act-to-sat-faq.md) - Innes' research argues the change was managed poorly and threatens Kentucky's ability to track student performance accurately over time.
- [Caleb O. Brown discusses solutions to Kentucky’s housing crisis on WHAS Radio's Terry Meiners](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/cob-terry-meiners-202607.md) - Bluegrass Institute CEO Caleb O. Brown advocates for easing zoning laws and implementing statewide permitting reforms to resolve Kentucky's housing crisis.
- [E pluribus unum at 250](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/e-pluribus-250.md) - The civic bond we keep forgetting to form.
- [Beshear’s instincts on data centers are good but his tools are few](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/beshear-data-centers.md) - Choosing which disfavored industries are allowed the privilege of access to electricity is a dangerous game.
- [The State of Social Mobility in Kentucky Part I: Institutions and Rule of Law](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/social-mobility-in-ky-part-i.md) - When we think about the American Dream, we think about social mobility.
- [The Endurance of Our Declaration of Independence](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/franz-declaration-of-independence.md) - America’s longevity can be attributed to our shared creed first articulated in the founding document.
- [Preparing for Kentucky’s New Federal Scholarship Tax Credit](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/scholarship-tax-credit-faq.md) - A provision of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act gives individual donors a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit of up to $1,700 per year for contributions to approved Scholarship Granting Organizations.
- [Certificate-of-Need Laws in Kentucky: Frequently Asked Questions](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/con-faq.md) - A certificate-of-need, or CON, law requires health care providers to obtain state approval before starting certain projects, such as opening a facility, adding beds or services, or buying major medical equipment. The state must determine that the project is "needed" before it can move forward.
- [Caleb O. Brown discusses tax reform and solutions to Kentucky’s housing crisis on Kentucky’s Voice](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/caleb-o-brown-discusses-tax-reform-and-solutions-to-kentuckys-housing-crisis-on-kentuckys-voice.md) - Tom Fawbush of Kentucky's Voice interviews Caleb O. Brown on housing reform, tax reform, and educational freedom in Kentucky.
- [Caleb O. Brown discusses Kentucky’s housing crisis and education reforms on Kentucky Politics Weekly](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/video-kentuckys-housing-crisis-and-education-reforms.md) - What will truly move the needle on housing affordability in Kentucky?
- [Richard Innes’ op-ed is read on WVLK’s Kruser & Krew program](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/richard-innes-op-ed-is-read-on-wlvks-kruser-krew-program.md) - Richard Innes’ op-ed, “How Did Audits Miss FCPS’ Financial Woes for So Long?,” was read on-air on WVLK’s Kruser & Krew program.
- [Cassius Marcellus Clay: Kentucky’s Original Free Speech Champion](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/cassius-marcellus-clay.md) - Today, Cassius Marcellus Clay is remembered mostly for his commitment to the cause of emancipation. It’s an appropriate legacy to honor. But it’s equally appropriate to honor Clay for his commitment to and understanding of the principles of free speech.
- [Tobacco policy should reflect the world as it is](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/tobacco-world-as-it-is.md) - There is something deeply unserious about how Washington talks about nicotine.
- [How did audits miss FCPS’ financial woes for so long?](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/fcps-financial-woes.md) - How did such a long series of annual audits miss the fiscal issues FCPS now faces?
- [Kentucky’s open door on government transparency is closing](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/open-door-transparency.md) - Two recent developments, taken together, reveal how quickly a transparency framework can erode.
- [There's no reason to keep KY laws limiting healthcare access](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/con-cj.md) - Indiana and Ohio didn't fall apart when they pared back certificate of need programs. Their patients ended up with more choices and shorter drives.
- [Certificate-of-Need Laws in Kentucky: Current Status and Opportunities for Evidence-Based Reforms](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/certificate-of-need-laws-sigaud-orozco.md) - Kentuckians struggle to receive timely, high-quality care. This policy brief examines Kentucky's current certificate of need laws, summarizes relevant empirical research, and discusses several evidence-based CON reforms that would improve access and competition in Kentucky’s health care system.
- [The bill for Fayette County school mismanagement was always going to come due](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/the-bill-for-fayette-county-school-mismanagement-was-always-going-to-come-due.md) - Why FCPS staffing levels should never have grown so disconnected from student enrollment.
- [Evaluating Kentucky’s Assessment Results: Part 2, The SAT Switch](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/assessment-results-part-2.md) - Legislators and the Kentucky Board of Education should act to restore proper oversight, ensure compliance with state law, and preserve the ability to accurately measure student performance over time.
- [Would Jacqueline Coleman bring sound education policy into the governor’s office?](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/would-jacqueline-coleman-bring-sound-education-policy-into-the-governors-office.md) - Coleman could be amenable to dismantling some regulatory barriers to education and employment, but her overall record raises serious questions about the policies she would bring to the Governor's office.
- [Kentucky Supreme Court’s dangerous impeachment ruling subverts constitution](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/dangerous-impeachment-ruling.md) - The impeachment power is an invaluable tool for removing public officials, not just for “crimes” but for intolerable behavior in public office.
- [Kentucky General Assembly failed to deliver on housing affordability](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/kentucky-general-assembly-failed-to-deliver-on-housing-affordability.md) - Lawmakers' failure carries real consequences for young people across our commonwealth.
- [City-Created Problems and Taxpayer-Funded Fixes](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/city-created-problems-taxpayer-funded-fixes.md) - The impotence and ineffectiveness of today’s economic development departments are not simply a matter of bureaucratic inertia or misaligned incentives.
- [Kentucky’s Supreme Court has ordered senators to abandon their oaths of office](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/supreme-court-senators-oaths-of-office.md) - A court ordering the legislature to dismiss a duly passed impeachment resolution is not the judiciary defending co-equality. It is the judiciary subordinating a co-equal branch.
- [GOP-led states that cooperate with ICE surrender their power](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/cooperate-with-ice-surrender-their-power.md) - The framers of our Bill of Rights understood that policing is largely local, and keeping that authority where it belongs should be a consistent priority.
- [License plate readers are a privacy concern lacking oversight](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/license-plate-readers.md) - Privacy is not a loophole for criminals. It's a precondition for a free society. The government needs far more than administrative convenience to justify eroding it.
- [Kentucky’s Tax Reforms Continue Economic Progress](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/tax-reforms-continue-economic-progress.md) - Good tax policy matters now more than ever.
- [The DOJ Wants To Drop Charges Against 2 Cops Who Played a Crucial Role in Breonna Taylor's Death](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/doj-breonna-taylor.md) - But for a fraudulent and misleading warrant affidavit, Taylor would not have been killed during a fruitless late-night drug raid.
- [Kentucky’s path to prosperity: three reforms to boost economic freedom](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/three-reforms-to-boost-economic-freedom.md) - The roadmap is clear: continue reducing income taxes toward elimination, repeal the inheritance tax, reform occupational licensing, and pursue policies that transition Kentuckians from government dependency to private-sector prosperity.
- [Kentucky’s licensing rules block sexual assault survivors from accessing care](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/sanes-malamet-plemmons.md) - Kentucky’s SANE shortage means many survivors do not get the care they need after the worst experience of their lives.
- [Why Tax Cuts Matter in Kentucky](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/why-tax-cuts-matter-in-kentucky.md) - What are the implications of Kentucky maintaining or lowering personal income tax rates?
- [Bluegrass Institute at the Capitol: Continuing Kentucky Tax Reform Efforts](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/bluegrass-institute-at-the-capitol-continuing-kentucky-tax-reform-efforts.md) - On March 9, Bluegrass Institute CEO Caleb O. Brown was joined by Buckeye Institute Vice President of Policy Rea Hederman to present lawmakers with new research on the economic impact of Kentucky's ongoing income tax reform.
- [Kentucky’s Blood Bill Promises Autonomy—But Delivers Mandates](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/singer-blood-bill.md) - The bill promotes “medical freedom” by expanding government mandates over insurers and private medical providers.
- [Freedom to Distill featured on WAVE 3 News](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/freedom-to-distill-featured-on-wave-3-news.md) - On March 5, the Bluegrass Institute proudly welcomed Robert Alt of the Buckeye Institute to discuss his case Ream v. U.S. Department of Treasury, in which his client has sued the federal government for the right to distill rye whiskey at home. The implications of this case go far beyond the cask: c…
- [Bluegrass Institute Reacts to Gov. Beshear's Rejection of K-12 Scholarships for Kentucky Students (WAVE3)](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/bluegrass-institute-reacts-to-gov-beshears-rejection-of-k-12-scholarships-for-kentucky-students-wave3.md) - Governor Andy Beshear vetoed legislation that would have allowed Kentucky families to take advantage of scholarship tax credits without impacting state taxes or revenues. The Bluegrass Institute reacts to the decision.
- [On Governor Beshear's Veto of House Bill 1](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/on-governor-beshears-veto-of-house-bill-1.md) - All but one of Kentucky’s neighbors — Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia — have opted into this federal program. While families in those states gain access to new educational options, the governor of Kentucky chose instead to keep Kentucky students out.
- [Continuing Kentucky Tax Reform Efforts](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/continuing-ky-tax-reform-efforts.md) - Kentucky must continue its pro-growth tax reforms to compete economically with its low-tax neighbors.
- ['Silent' Property Tax Increases in Kentucky (Kentucky Focus, KNN)](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/silent-property-tax-increases-in-kentucky-kentucky-focus-knn.md) - Bluegrass Institute CEO Caleb O. Brown discusses how localities raise your property taxes without your input.
- [Gary Houchens discusses the Chesterton Academy on The DeCesare Group Podcast](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/gary-houchens-decesare-chasterton.md) - Dr. Gary Houchens joined the DeCesare Group Podcast to discuss the Chesterton Academy of Bowling Green, a new Catholic high school.
- [Protect Conscience — But Fix What’s Really Driving Kentucky’s Doctor Shortage](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/protect-conscience.md) - Physicians are not interchangeable technicians. They are moral agents. In a free society, the government should not force a doctor to participate in a non-emergency procedure that violates deeply held beliefs.
- [I was two when my mom went to jail, Kentucky can do better](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/mom-went-to-jail-kentucky-can-do-better.md) - Kentucky has one of the highest rates in the nation of children with an incarcerated parent. Those are not statistics. Those are kids saying goodnight to pictures and running to mailboxes, hoping.
- [Modest reform to KY regulation could mean big business gains](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/cj-reg-reform.md) - Regulatory restrictions, accumulated over years of lawmaking, have resulted in thousands of outdated rules that carry burdens for businesses and consumers alike.
- [Kentucky Cities Need Limits, Not Just Balanced Budgets](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/limits-not-just-balanced-budgets.md) - When your scope is "whatever serves the community interest," you've created a mandate for unlimited growth.
- [WHAS11: Caleb O. Brown reacts to Kentucky Supreme Court rejection of charter schools](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/whas11-caleb-o-brown-reacts-to-kentucky-supreme-court-rejection-of-charter-schools.md) - Bluegrass Institute CEO Caleb O. Brown offers thoughts on the Kentucky Supreme Court's rejection of charter schools.
- [Kentucky’s independent workers deserve access to portable benefits](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/independent-workers-portable-benefits.md) - Surveys show that 81% of self-employed workers want portable benefits solutions.
- [Bluegrass Institute: Kentucky Supreme Court Charter School Ruling Rests on Flawed Constitutional Reasoning](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/bluegrass-institute-kentucky-supreme-court-charter-school-ruling-rests-on-flawed-constitutional-reasoning.md) - Today's decision misreads the Kentucky Constitution and ignores the critical distinction between restricted school funds and General Fund appropriations
- [Regulatory Reform in Kentucky: An Opportunity for Greater Economic Growth](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/regulatory-reform-mclaughlin.md) - Even modest regulatory reductions would yield substantial economic benefits. Deeper reforms could significantly strengthen the commonwealth’s competitiveness, innovation, and long-term prosperity.
- [Louisville Is Making It Easier To Smoke Cigars Indoors](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/grier-louisville-cigars.md) - A Kentucky proposal to legalize cigar bars bucks the trend of prohibitionist tobacco policy.
- [Scholarship tax credits can help more Kentucky students succeed](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/scholarship-tax-credits.md) - Here are some upsides for families of a scholarship tax credit program that Kentucky lawmakers might adopt this year.
- [KY's flawed property tax system allows silent increases](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/kys-flawed-property-tax-system-allows-silent-increases.md) - Kentucky can continue down the path of silent tax increases, temporary relief measures and growing taxpayer frustration or it can adopt a property tax system that works for everyone.
- [Kentucky Needs Regulatory Transparency Now](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/regulatory-transparency-now.md) - Kentucky’s businesses and lawmakers are often operating in the dark when it comes to regulation.
- [TIFs aren't improving Louisville as much as you think](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/tifs-arent-improving-louisville-as-much-as-you-think.md) - And as some economists would point out, if these projects are such good ideas, then why do they need the help of taxpayers? Why not let the marketplace alone determine the success or failure of these projects?
- [Trump Promotes Regulatory Relief—Not Subsidies—as the Solution to Obamacare](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/trump-promotes-regulatory-relief-not-subsidies-as-the-solution-to-obamacare.md) - States don’t need to wait for Congress. In Kentucky, Rep. Vanessa Grossl (R‑Georgetown) introduced legislation that would immediately let residents access Obama’s 2014 relief by removing barriers to Obamacare-exempt plans available in US territories.
- [Evaluating Kentucky’s Assessment Results: Data, Omissions, and Governance](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/evaluating-kentuckys-assessment-results-data-omissions-and-governance.md) - The Kentucky Department of Education's December 2025 briefing omitted required statistical significance markers, excluded all racial subgroup data, and entirely failed to present legally mandated ACT results showing serious declines that contradict the improving state assessment narrative.
- [Trump tariffs expose Santa as a threat to American industry](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/trump-tariffs-expose-santa-as-a-threat-to-american-industry.md) - Using Trumpian logic, Santa Claus is obviously taking advantage of us and harming the US economy.
- [Kentucky’s Switch to the SAT Violates Public Trust; It May Also Violate State Law](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/kentuckys-switch-to-the-sat-violates-public-trust-it-may-also-violate-state-law.md) - Kentucky’s state-level testing reports rising proficiency in reading, math and science—the very subjects where the ACT shows worsening results. Two tests that are supposed to measure similar skills should not tell opposite stories.
- [New federal tax credits can unlock Kentucky’s educational freedom](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/new-federal-tax-credits-can-unlock-kentuckys-educational-freedom.md) - A new federal tax credit scholarship program offers a rare chance for Kentucky to leap forward.
- [Video: Making Room for the Next Generation of Kentuckians](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/video-making-room-for-the-next-generation-of-kentuckians.md) - This isn't abstract policy. It's whether the Kentucky dream remains accessible.
- [Congress must fix hemp ban that threatens Kentucky farmers](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/congress-must-fix-hemp-ban-that-threatens-kentucky-farmers.md) - Kentucky’s hemp sector has become a national model, built on bipartisan cooperation and guided by regulatory oversight from the Department of Agriculture. This provision puts all of that at risk.
- [Bluegrass Institute Commends Kentucky Housing Task Force for Embracing Key Reform Recommendations](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/bluegrass-institute-commends-kentucky-housing-task-force-for-embracing-key-reform-recommendations.md) - The Bluegrass Institute today congratulated the Kentucky Housing Task Force for advancing a slate of housing reform measures that closely mirror recommendations advanced by the Institute earlier this year.
- [Hemp ban in funding bill rips the rug out from under U.S. farmers](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/hemp-ban-in-funding-bill-rips-the-rug-out-from-under-u-s-farmers.md) - In true Washington swamp fashion, this hemp ban is not being debated on its own. Once again, Congress created a crisis, then conveniently used the crisis to jam through new laws without debate.
- [What the NAEP Proficient Score Really Means for Learning](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/what-the-naep-proficient-score-really-means-for-learning.md) - Close agreement between NAEP proficiency rates and ACT benchmark score results for Kentucky suggests that NAEP proficiency levels are highly relevant indicators of critical educational performance. ​Those claiming NAEP’s proficiency standard is set too high are incorrect.
- [The Free Market Case for Property Taxes](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/the-free-market-case-for-property-taxes.md) - Economic research consistently finds that property taxes are less economically harmful than other major taxes.
- [Universal pre-K is an expensive experiment](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/universal-pre-k-is-an-expensive-experiment.md) - Kentucky families deserve honesty about what this expensive and expansive program can – and cannot – deliver.
- [The Case Against Property Taxes](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/the-case-against-property-taxes.md) - Property taxes are not a reasonable price for local services—they are an outdated, overly coercive, and economically destructive way to fund government. They should end.
- [A Menu of Options for Kentucky Housing Reform 2026](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/a-menu-of-options-for-kentucky-housing-reform-2026-2.md) - Without a robust housing supply, Kentucky will lose its competitive edge. These recommendations detail how Kentucky can turn the tide on housing affordability without harming taxpayers.
- [Legislative Overview: The Family Preservation and Accountability Act](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/the-family-preservation-and-accountability-act.md) - Courts should be required to consider an individual’s caregiver status before sentencing for non-violent offenses.
- [The Kentucky Housing Crisis is Here: Caleb O. Brown Appears on KNN's Kentucky Focus](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/the-kentucky-housing-crisis-is-here-caleb-o-brown-appears-on-knns-kentucky-focus.md) - Bluegrass Institute CEO Caleb O. Brown sits down with Scott Fitzgerald on KNN's Kentucky Focus show to discuss the housing crisis and why lawmakers must act now to turn the tide of housing affordability.
- [Certificate of need laws cutting access to KY health care are overdue for reform](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/certificate-of-need-laws-cutting-access-to-ky-health-care-are-overdue-for-reform.md) - Certificate of need laws make it difficult or impossible for providers to offer new health care services in Kentucky. These laws reduce patient access to care and can endanger lives.
- [But What About Staffing?](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/but-what-about-staffing.md) - Comparing Fayette County Public Schools’ staffing trends to enrollment and academic performance
- [Boost Kentucky’s labor market: Reform occupational licensing](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/boost-kentuckys-labor-market-reform-occupational-licensing.md) - A significant factor holding Kentucky back is its occupational licensing system – one of the nation’s most restrictive – which creates unnecessary barriers to employment.
- [John Garen and Paul Coomes detail teacher compensation in Kentucky to the Kentucky General Assembly](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/john-garen-and-paul-coomes-detail-teacher-compensation-in-kentucky-to-the-kentucky-general-assembly.md) - In 2024, the average teacher’s salary in Kentucky was $58,788. However, with fringe benefits averaging $35,406, total compensation reached $94,194 – a 61.6% increase from $58,301 in 2006.
- [The Kentucky Housing Crisis Is Here](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/the-kentucky-housing-crisis-is-here.md) - We don't have to burden taxpayers to make room for the next generation of Kentuckians, but policymakers need to act now.
- [Kentucky needs public charter schools: An educator’s plea for choice](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/kentucky-needs-public-charter-schools-an-educators-plea-for-choice.md) - " ... we want to offer this tuition-free, open-to-all public education model to others."
- [Testimony to the Budget Review Subcommittee on Education](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/testimony-to-the-budget-review-subcommittee-on-education.md) - "... universities are often among the most trusted charter school authorizers. We understand that educational quality isn't one-size-fits-all."
- [Charter schools on trial: Will Kentucky parents finally get a choice?](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/charter-schools-on-trial-will-kentucky-parents-finally-get-a-choice.md) - A ruling against charter schools would suggest that Kentucky’s highest court believes the state constitution’s ratifiers, over 130 years ago, intended to deny parents the right to choose better public schools for their children.
- [Testing Kentucky’s high schoolers: Dropping ACT, shifting to SAT is the wrong move](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/testing-kentuckys-high-schoolers-dropping-act-shifting-to-sat-is-the-wrong-move.md) - A proposed shift away from ACT testing will make it harder for taxpayers to understand how well Kentucky public schools are performing.
- [Expand innovative education opportunities to all students](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/expand-innovative-education-opportunities-to-all-students.md) - Gary Houchens points to the overwhelming success of Kentucky’s innovative university-led K-12 programs, including the Gatton and Craft academies, as reasons to expand educational choice to all Kentucky students.
- [WHAS11: Charter Schools at Kentucky's highest court](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/whas11-charter-schools-at-kentuckys-highest-court.md) - Will Kentucky finally get charter schools?
- [Answers to questions about public charter schools: What are they? Who do they serve? Will they work?](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/answers-to-questions-about-public-charter-schools-what-are-they-who-do-they-serve-will-they-work.md) - In Kentucky’s neighboring states alone, over 300,000 students are enrolled in more than 800 charter schools.
- [Frequently Asked Questions about Public Charter Schools](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/frequently-asked-questions-about-public-charter-schools.md) - A landmark case that will decide the fate of charter schools now heads to the Kentucky Supreme Court. It's time to take stock of what charters schools are and how they function.
- [Kentucky Supreme Court schedules hearing on landmark charter school case](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/kentucky-supreme-court-schedules-hearing-on-landmark-charter-school-case.md) - In April 2024, the Kentucky Supreme Court granted the Attorney General’s request to transfer the case, bypassing the Court of Appeals.
- [Kentucky data centers bring high-paying jobs and more tax income. Welcome them.](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/kentucky-data-centers-bring-high-paying-jobs-and-more-tax-income-welcome-them.md) - When you consider the benefits of construction projects, high-paying tech jobs and new property taxes, Kentucky communities should welcome them.
- [Kentucky's fines and fees system incarcerates the poor on the taxpayer's dime](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/kentuckys-fines-and-fees-system-incarcerates-the-poor-on-the-taxpayers-dime.md) - A justice system that traps people in poverty, destroys families and burns through taxpayer dollars while failing to improve public safety is not conservative—it’s counterproductive.
- [Kentucky families deserve expanded enrollment opportunities](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/kentucky-families-deserve-expanded-enrollment-opportunities.md) - A stronger policy would ensure Kentucky students can transfer to any public school with open seats, prohibit districts from charging tuition and improve transparency, making the process more family-friendly.
- [What does a new federal tax credit mean for school choice in Kentucky?](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/what-does-a-new-federal-tax-credit-mean-for-school-choice-in-kentucky.md) - Kentucky’s students lack school choice, but a federal tax credit for scholarship donations could change that. For a long time, Kentucky has been one of the only states to systematically deny K-12 students meaningful school choice options, but that could finally change thanks to the recent federal b…
- [Making Room for the Next Generation of Kentuckians](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/housing-testimony-to-the-interim-joint-committee-on-local-government.md) - M. Nolan Gray testifies on Kentucky's housing reform opportunity before the Interim Joint Committee on Local Government on July 29, 2025.
- [Bluegrass Institute scholar Nolan Gray testifies before the Kentucky Housing Task Force](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/bluegrass-institute-scholar-nolan-gray-testifies-before-the-kentucky-housing-task-force.md) - The Bluegrass Institute's Nolan Gray discusses the most important issue facing Kentucky for the foreseeable future: housing. This is his testimony before the Kentucky Housing Task Force on June 30, 2025.
- [Testimony to the Kentucky Housing Task Force](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/testimony-to-the-kentucky-housing-task-force.md) - "Kentucky is on track to have a California-style housing crisis if we don't take action today."
- [A Libertarian Is the Only Real Egalitarian](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/a-libertarian-is-the-only-real-egalitarian.md) - Equality of permission: Do your own thing, without force or fraud against others.
- [Data centers' benefits fail to justify taxpayer subsidies](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/data-centers-benefits-fail-to-justify-taxpayer-subsidies.md) - Government subsidies have little power to turn a bad site into a good one, create a workforce out of thin air or make it worth a company’s while to suffer through bad environmental rules, labor laws or other stifling regulations.
- [Congress should nix a regulatory bait-and-switch on hemp](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/congress-should-nix-a-regulatory-bait-and-switch-on-hemp.md) - Kentucky hemp farmers, including Jay Grundy, face potential bankruptcy due to proposed changes in the 2018 Farm Bill, reducing delta-9 THC limits. Learn how these regulatory shifts could devastate the hemp industry, harm farmers, and eliminate access to essential hemp-based products.
- [Kentucky's open-enrollment policies lag behind, limiting educational choice, opportunities](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/kentuckys-open-enrollment-policies-lag-behind-limiting-educational-choice-opportunities.md) - LEXINGTON, Ky. — A new report by the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions reveals that Kentucky's open-enrollment policies are among the weakest in the nation, restricting the ability of families to choose a different public school that better meets their children's educational needs. “F…
- [Kentucky’s school-staffing trends: Only five states have worse share of teachers in K-12](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/kentuckys-school-staffing-trends-only-five-states-have-worse-share-of-teachers-in-k-12.md) - “Staffing Trends in Kentucky’s Public Schools” is the second in a three-part series of Bluegrass Institute policy briefs examining public education spending in Kentucky. Written by economists Paul Coomes, Ph.D., and John Garen, Ph.D., the report highlights a surge in non-teacher staffing that’s mos…
- [Staffing Trends in Kentucky’s Public Schools](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/staffing-trends-in-kentuckys-public-schools.md) - Per-pupil funding soared and district-level staff increased dramatically despite a shrinking student body.
- [Public School Open Enrollment in Kentucky: Policy Issues Regarding Non-Resident and Transfer Students](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/public-school-open-enrollment-in-kentucky-policy-issues-regarding-non-resident-and-transfer-students.md) - Kentucky still permits school districts to impose strict limitations on non-resident enrollment.
- [Estimated Growth in Annual Public Teachers’ Compensation in Kentucky](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/estimated-growth-in-annual-public-teachers-compensation-in-kentucky.md) - Coomes and Garen find that large increases in school funding – including nearly $2 billion in fringe-benefit payments for teachers – have not translated into better outcomes for students.
- [Bluegrass Institute announces Caleb O. Brown as Chief Executive Officer](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/bluegrass-institute-announces-caleb-o-brown-as-chief-executive-officer.md) - Lexington, Ky. — The Bluegrass Institute, Kentucky’s free-market think tank, today announced that Caleb O. Brown has been named Chief Executive Officer. Brown’s employment will commence in May. Jim Waters, the institute’s president, will continue in that role. “It’s a remarkable opportunity to retu…
- [Continue making Kentucky competitive again: Reduce personal income tax rate](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/continue-making-kentucky-competitive-again-reduce-personal-income-tax-rate.md) - When state lawmakers return to Frankfort next week to begin the 2025 General Assembly session, they have the opportunity to continue fueling Kentucky’s economic revival by approving yet another drop in the commonwealth’s individual income tax rate. Revenue requirements needed to trigger a further h…
- [Kentucky Right on Crime Director: The Good, the Bad and the Unknown about the 'Safer Kentucky Act'](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/kentucky-right-on-crime-director-the-good-the-bad-and-the-unknown-about-the-safer-kentucky-act.md) - The Senate Judiciary Committee will meet today in a special called meeting to consider House Bill 5, the “Safer Kentucky Act,” a very large omnibus crime bill estimated to cost Kentucky taxpayers as much as a $1 billion over the next decade. Joey Comley, Kentucky Right on Crime’s new director, join…
- [What Amendment 2 won’t do, opponents ignore](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/what-amendment-2-wont-do-opponents-ignore.md) - The cost estimates are based on an assumption that all 98,000 students currently attending a nonpublic school in Kentucky would receive a voucher. That’s out of line with reality.
- [Setting the record straight on educational choice in Arizona](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/setting-the-record-straight-on-educational-choice-in-arizona.md) - More than 1.1 million children in Arizona attend schools their parents picked. Yet some so-called “experts” want Kentuckians to believe that the Grand Canyon State has devolved into a bankrupt, smoldering version of Mordor thanks to its latest universal choice program—the Empowerment Scholarship Ac…
- [Bluegrass Institute files amicus brief urging Kentucky Supreme Court to overturn ‘flawed’ school choice ruling](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/bluegrass-institute-files-amicus-brief-urging-kentucky-supreme-court-to-overturn-flawed-school-choice-ruling.md) - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FRANKFORT, Ky – A Bluegrass Institute amicus brief authored by former Solicitor General Chad Meredith in support of expanding education opportunities in Kentucky urges the state Supreme Court to overturn a lower court’s ruling that legislation funding public charter schools pa…
- [Public charter schools are a constitutional obligation in Kentucky](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/pubpublic-charter-schools-are-a-constitutional-obligation.md) - The legislature is not asking for new funding streams or higher taxes. We are asking for the flexibility to use existing public dollars more effectively.
- [WATCH Voice for Change: Dr. Jerry Stephenson on Amendment 2, empowering parents](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/watch-voice-for-change-dr-jerry-stephenson-on-amendment-2-empowering-parents.md) - “I am not a person, when I see something wrong, to just close my eyes and walk away from it.” Dr. Jerry Stephenson, pastor of the Midwest Church of Christ in Louisville, saw something very wrong. When Pastor Stephenson learned that only 22% of a local middle school’s students could read at grade le…
- [Florida Versus Kentucky: How school choice improves public school performance, too](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/florida-versus-kentucky-how-school-choice-improves-public-school-performance-too.md) - Florida’s Black students score ahead of Kentucky in all fourth- and eighth-grade reading and math NAEP results.
- [Review of Facts and Trends in Fayette County Public Schools](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/facts-and-trends-fayette-2024.md) - Fayette County Public Schools' funding surge has not reached classroom teachers.
- [Local Bang for More Bucks: A Review of Facts and Trends in JCPS](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/local-bang-for-more-bucks-a-review-of-facts-and-trends-in-jcps.md) - JCPS has received dramatically more funding over three decades with little to show for it in student learning, and the district's most vulnerable students — low-income and Black children — are bearing the greatest cost of this failure.
- [Education choice saving Arizona millions](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/education-choice-saving-arizona-millions-2.md) - Alarmists incessantly accuse education-choice supporters of “cherry picking” the data, and schools of choice of doing the same with their student bodies. Actually, it’s those doomsdayers who lead the way when it comes to “selective analysis” regarding the impact of school choice programs in other s…
- [Education choice saving Arizona millions](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/education-choice-saving-arizona-millions.md) - Editor’s note: The Bluegrass Beacon is a weekly syndicated newspaper column posted on the Bluegrass Institute’s website after appearing in publications statewide. Alarmists incessantly accuse education-choice supporters of “cherry picking” the data, and schools of choice of doing the same with thei…
- [What research really says about school choice](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/what-research-really-says-about-school-choice.md) - Cherry picking research studies to defend a particular point of view is a disreputable approach. However, it appears that a defender of the education establishment has done so, apparently to discredit the idea that every family might get to choose how their own children are educated. In a recent co…
- [Bluegrass Institute analysis of K-12 spending: Less bang for billions of Kentucky taxpayers’ bucks](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/bluegrass-institute-analysis-of-k-12-spending-less-bang-for-billions-of-kentucky-taxpayers-bucks.md) - (FRANKFORT, Ky.) – This June marks the 35th anniversary of the Kentucky Supreme Court’s famous Rose V. Council for Better Education, which determined that the commonwealth failed to abide by Section 183 of the state’s constitution requiring the legislature to “provide for an efficient system of com…
- [Why Kentucky needs school choice](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/why-kentucky-needs-school-choice.md) - A recent Tweet from a teacher (provided with that teacher’s permission) provides insight into how Kentucky’s kids can lose out without school choice. Here a charter school provides a second chance to students in another state when traditional schools don’t meet needs. In Kentucky, many students in…
- [K-12 in Kentucky: A summary of facts and trends](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/k-12-in-kentucky-a-summary-of-facts-and-trends.md) - Spending growth in Kentucky public schools has gone to bureaucracy and benefits, not classrooms.
- [The Safer Kentucky Act: A Summary and Analysis](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/bluegrass-institute-releases-policy-brief-on-safer-kentucky-act.md) - Under consideration by the Kentucky General Assembly, the "Safer Kentucky Act” seeks to reform criminal law and policy in the commonwealth.
- [Universal preschool won’t solve Kindergarten readiness issues in Kentucky](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/universal-preschool-wont-solve-kindergarten-readiness-issues-in-kentucky.md) - Shouldn’t we figure out how to really do preschool right, first, before we spend a lot more money on it?
- [Why it’s wrong to deny Kentucky’s students the benefit of public charter schools](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/why-its-wrong-to-deny-kentuckys-students-the-benefit-of-public-charter-schools.md) - Once you start to compare the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores for students in Florida’s charter schools to those in Kentucky, where there are no charter schools, the commonwealth’s need for this important school choice option becomes readily apparent. The table below shows…
- [Franklin Circuit Court's charter-school ruling: Our founders would not agree](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/bluegrass-institute-issues-statement-on-franklin-circuit-courts-charter-school-ruling.md) - More than 7,800 public charter schools now educate 3.8 million students in 44 states and the District of Columbia.
- [Energy one of the three ‘E’s’ of Kentucky campaigns](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/energy-one-of-the-three-es-of-kentucky-campaigns.md) - While Kentucky’s economy and education policy and practices have dominated political headlines during this election year, no gubernatorial campaign in Kentucky would be complete without considering candidates’ views on energy, particularly as they relate to coal. After rolling blackouts during last…
- [First thoughts on the new Kentucky Assessment and Accountability Results](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/first-thoughts-on-the-new-kentucky-assessment-and-accountability-results.md) - The media seems to have done a fair job with their initial coverage of the scores, but there are troubling things as well that not all have picked up on. For example, a US News and World Report painted a rather rosy picture, with an article titled “Kentucky Report Card Shows Some Improvement in Stu…
- [Anticompetitive certificate of need laws: Wrong prescription with serious side effects](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/anticompetitive-certificate-of-need-laws-wrong-prescription-with-serious-side-effects.md) - Research has found that incumbent providers’ opposition reduced the approval rate by more than half for projects requiring applicants to prove the need for new ambulance services, additional beds at psychiatric facilities or one of the other many services and technologies.
- [More for taxpayers means more for government, too](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/more-for-taxpayers-means-more-for-government-too.md) - Editor’s note: The Bluegrass Beacon is a weekly syndicated newspaper column posted on the Bluegrass Institute’s website after appearing in publications statewide. The recent announcement by the state Budget Director’s office that Kentucky brought in a record $15 billion in General Fund revenues dur…
- [CON laws interfere with competition, 'impedes entry of additional providers into markets'](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/con-laws-interfere-with-competition-impedes-entry-of-additional-providers-into-markets.md) - A movement is afoot in Kentucky to get rid of the state’s bureaucratic requirements that health care providers get special permission from the government before adding or expanding services or facilities. While the origin of such policies – known as certificate-of-need laws – which began as a feder…
- [Testimony to the Kentucky Certificate of Need Task Force](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/testimony-to-the-kentucky-certificate-of-need-task-force.md) - John Garen, a scholar at the Bluegrass Institute, presents evidence on certificate of need policies to the Kentucky Certificate of Need Task Force on August 8, 2023.
- [School choice, school politicking and public school legislation](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/school-choice-school-politicking-and-public-school-legislation.md) - If a parent determines that the public school practices are wrong for their child, how can it be addressed?
- [Chorus of concerns raised in hearing about crime bill’s cost, consequences](https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/chorus-of-concerns-raised-in-hearing-about-crime-bills-cost-consequences.md) - Following Tuesday’s floor session of the state Senate, that body’s judiciary committee met in a special-called meeting to hear discussion on House Bill 5, a large crime bill called the “Safer Kentucky Act.” (Watch the entire hearing here.) No vote was taken (that’s scheduled for Thursday), but ther…

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