LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Monday, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear laid out several legislative priorities for 2023, and painted an optimistic picture for Kentucky.
Beshear came to Louisville to speak with business leaders at the third installment of Greater Louisville Inc.'s Capitol Connection series.
The series connects business and political leaders to discuss key issues, with the Monday's focus on Kentucky's impressive economic growth, while managing issues like inflation and labor shortages.
"Inflation, while temporary, is still really difficult on our families. Whether that's the price of food or the price of prescription drugs it has more parents after they put their kids to sleep sitting around the table, looking at each other saying 'how do we save here to be able to afford there,'" Beshear said.
The governor said projects like the planned Ford electric battery park give Kentucky momentum to navigate uncertain economic times. He noted Kentucky's low unemployment rates, but acknowledged the need to broaden the workforce.
Beshear said issues like healthcare, retirement, addiction, incarceration and childcare are all big workforce drivers. He said ultimately, the state needs to attract more people.
Beshear said he'd like to do that by funding a state advertising campaign.
"We've got to push for that, because we have a heck of a story to tell," he said. "Kentucky becoming the electric vehicle battery capital of America, the agri-tech capital of America, heck we're the home of bourbon."
Asked about his legislative priorities, Beshear detailed several key plans.
He said universal pre-K is one policy he'd like to pursue, noting it would cost about $119 million a year, saying that's far less than the state's anticipated budget surplus.
"You can bet I'm going to push universal pre-K," Beshear said. "My goodness, it's not the answer to everything but having every child in Louisville and Kentucky kindergarten ready would be a big help."
Beshear said infrastructure improvements on roads, clean water and broadband should be key this session, as well as healthcare priorities and continued economic development.
Overall, he said Kentucky is on the right path.
"I have faith we can push through these challenges, because I've seen it first hand. You don't come together and fight a global pandemic and not be able to address the other challenges in front of us," Beshear said.
GLI hosted Governor Beshear for the conversation at The Olmsted. It was the third installment of the speaker series presented by Norton Healthcare.
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