Beshear shares more budget plans, says he would spend to attract ‘jobs of the future’
Gov. Andy Beshear continued Tuesday to unveil his two-year state budget proposal, this time focusing on how he would improve Kentucky’s infrastructure, economic development and tourism to attract “the jobs of the future.”
Beshear, a Democrat, is trying to recapture momentum this week following last Friday’s surprise decision by House Republican majority leaders to file a state budget bill before he could announce his own budget recommendations. Beshear is scheduled to deliver a formal budget address to the General Assembly on Thursday.
Beshear said Kentucky is doing well economically, citing last year’s major announcement of an electric battery plant in Hardin County that could create thousands of jobs. But the state still needs to help attract businesses with worker training and additional site development, Beshear said.
“We don’t succeed without putting in the work,” he said at Tuesday’s news conference.
The governor said his budget would include $250 million in one-time funds for a business recruitment site identification and development program. There would be $20 million each year for a competitive workforce initiative grant program through schools. And he would spend $10 million a year on a talent attraction media campaign to draw more skilled workers to Kentucky, he said.
Among other items in Beshear’s budget plan are:
▪ $75 million for an agritech research and development center in Eastern Kentucky;
▪ $10 million for a life-sciences research and development lab in Covington;
▪ $250 million from the General Fund for major transportation projects, specifically, progress on the Brent Spence companion bridge in Northern Kentucky, the Interstate 69 bridge in Henderson and completion of the Mountain Parkway expansion in Eastern Kentucky. These would be one-time funds meant to qualify the state for federal grants, Beshear said.
▪ $100 million to begin building Kentucky’s electric vehicle charging station infrastructure, using money from the General Fund and one-time funds from the new federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
▪ Nearly $500 million over two years to improve water and sewer systems;
▪ $200 million to boost high-speed Internet service around the state, on top of the $300 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds that were dedicated for this purpose in 2021;
▪ $200 million in one-time funds for repairs and improvements to Kentucky state parks;
▪ and $10 million in ARPA funds to promote Kentucky’s tourism industry through a marketing campaign, another $10 million in ARPA funds for the state’s travel industry and $10 million more for nonprofit arts organizations.
