Kids don’t vote. Kids don’t write campaign checks. Kids certainly don’t have super PACs. That is why I hope you will take just a couple minutes and watch this video. Democracy Prep’s amazing fourth grade citizen-scholars want you to VOTE this November 6th! And so does EVERY kid in Kentucky! Kids have a lot riding on this Tuesday – in the Presidential race; in Kentucky’s Congressional contests; in school board votes; in the judicial match-ups; [...]
The following post first appeared in A Better Life, a blog for the Courier-Journal about the aftermath of the recession. I spent the last 3 presidential debates and the vice presidential debate on my couch at home, very tense, watching and listening closely. While I was watching as a concerned citizen (though a decided voter), I was also watching as a child advocate – specifically listening for any mention of child programs, the need to [...]
This week Kentucky Youth Advocates added four new child welfare indicators to the KIDS COUNT Data Center. These four new indicators span the continuum of child welfare decision-making points and, coupled with the other indicators already on the Data Center, provide Kentuckians a wealth of information on vulnerable children and families in our state. One new indicator shows the prevalence of certain risk factors in cases where child abuse or neglect was found to have [...]
Tuesday’s meeting of the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Tax Reform was disappointing. Walking into the conference room, you would have noticed the 15 or so easels with boards containing 95 options for tax reform. The Commissioners added a 96th option during the meeting. Including Tuesday’s meeting, the Commissioners have three, four-hour meetings to par that list of 96 options into a cohesive plan of recommendations for reforming Kentucky’s tax system. Options range from applying [...]
Yesterday’s announcement that Kentucky Spirit is choosing to pull out of Kentucky is not surprising given the multiple issues over the past year. Some of those issues, indeed, lay with the state and others, frankly may well lay with simple business metrics of how Kentucky Spirit bid and billed. There will be time to focus on the “why”. The immediate need is to focus on the “now.” This transition has the potential to cause disruptions [...]
Unless you live off the grid, it was difficult not to notice all of national attention paid to Kentucky last week – Danville, Kentucky in particular. The Vice Presidential debate brought hundreds of reporters from around the world to Danville for one evening. Things were a buzz around Kentucky Youth Advocates as well. It was a busy week for us hosting the 2012 Step Up for Kids Conference on Monday, working with the Heart of [...]
A strong Kentucky economy is based on the foundation of local economies; in turn, local economies depend on stable, working families. Members of the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Tax Reform and policymakers are facing critical decisions as they work to make recommendations to modernize Kentucky’s tax system and hopefully build a stronger future for Kentucky. A state EITC is a proven way to increase work participation, generate local business, and pull families from poverty [...]
October 11 has arrived! It’s a gorgeous fall day in Kentucky with lots of anticipation for tonight’s Vice-Presidential Debate. We had an awesome time in Danville yesterday with hundreds of other children, youth, and adults calling on debate moderator, Martha Raddatz to ask the Vice-Presidential Candidates how to they plan to make children’s needs a priority. A big thank you to our local partners and everyone who showed up! And special kudos to Ann Goodwin [...]
Kentucky Youth Advocates is a proud partner in the Smoke-free Kentucky campaign. They are holding as series of forums targeting community leaders. Attend a forum near you to learn more about how you can get involved in the campaign. See the information below or check out their official Smoke-Free Forum Invite. How do Smoke-free laws impact your bottom line? Kentucky’s leading health and business organizations invite you and other community leaders to attend a smoke-free [...]
In anticipation of the Vice Presidential Debate scheduled for October 11 in Danville, Kentucky at Centre College, youth and youth supporters from across the state are planning a Step Up for Kids Rally for October 10 on the Courthouse Lawn. Their hope is to draw the public’s attention to the importance of encouraging policy makers, including Vice Presidential hopefuls, to make children a national priority. The young people are also urging the Vice Presidential Debate [...]