In the early 1850’s, Stephen Foster drew inspiration from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s anti-slavery novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” and began penning the words to “My Old Kentucky Home.”
Nearly 175 years later, Governor Andy Beshear used his Wednesday night “State of the Commonwealth” address to iterate and reiterate “A New Kentucky Home” — one that leaves behind the typical stereotypes of the Bluegrass, and instead embraces continued growth and prosperity under his, and the General Assembly’s, efforts.
Beshear noted that with the state growing stronger, “all eyes are on Kentucky” as an improved economic haven, tourist attraction and safe place for families to build and live.
Over the last five years, Beshear reported that:
+ More than $35 billion had been invested in the private sector, the largest such stretch under any Kentucky governor.
+ The state has broken multiple job creation records, with more than 59,800 new full-time positions announced.
+ The state has broken its all-time exports record and its tourism revenue record, with 2024 numbers expected to be just as promising.
+ The General Assembly and the Governor’s office have expanded access to public and private healthcare, spent millions on providing clean water, repaired, rebuilt and constructed roads and bridges, and moved to expand high-speed fiber internet across the state.
Furthermore, Beshear said Kentucky is experiencing its highest-ever average for jobs and new wages, now topping an incentive-laden $26/hour, and 2024 specifically was the fourth-best year for private sector investment at $6.9 billion.
Why? Beshear said it’s because of the non-partisanship efforts of Kentucky’s leaders, who are seeking common ground, and applying common sense for the Commonwealth.
Looking ahead to 2025, Beshear said Kentucky will embrace not only a short, but critical, legislative session, but those initial, potential fruits of legal medical cannabis.
Beshear also noted he will continue his consistent push for educators to have better salaries, and for legislation to enact universal pre-kindergarten to all four-year-olds in the state — which this year would reach more than 34,000 children.
It also would put some families back into the workforce, with childcare as a realistic option.
With three years remaining on his second, and final, term, Beshear also made a promise to the state.
The Kentucky General Assembly gaveled in earlier this week, and with it, a Republican supermajority: 80-20 in the House, 31-7 in the Senate.
According to Lucas Aulbach and Hannah Pinski of the Louisville Courier Journal, among others, the party’s No. 1 priority is House Bill 1, which would cut the state’s income tax from 4% to 3.5%, potentially putting more money in working citizens’ pockets.
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