Facts are central to responsible public policy formation. Absent facts, public policy rests on shifting sands of emotion, personal preference, and special interest. Lead with facts, land on good policy. Ignore facts, end up with bad policy. Consider the emotion swirling around the debate over the state's pension crisis. According to the Pegasus Institute, there's been a truth deficit and much misinformation spread in this debate. Here's what we know. Kentucky has the worst funded public pension system in the nation. It is structurally deficient and has been underfunded for 15 of the last 22 years. If no changes are made, it will run out of money in six years. The Senate has proposed a bill to address structural deficiencies. Its received a lot of criticism but it's a good faith effort by the state to keep its promise to state workers. And that's a fact.