Kentucky House Democrats held a press conference on Tuesday to unveil a “vision for [Kentucky] families.” House Minority Floor Leader Pam Stevenson (D–Louisville) told the media that “families should be the center of every one of our bills.” Both Democrats and Republicans can agree that the family must be strong for people to thrive. The disagreement is over how to achieve that goal.
Later that day, Senate Republicans approved HB 1, reducing the state income tax from 4% to 3.5%. While the final vote saw bipartisan support, the far-left strongly opposed the measure, arguing it disproportionately benefits the wealthy over the poor. State Rep. Al Gentry (D–Louisville) hinted at this concern when he declined to support the bill in early January. Others warned that the tax cut could undermine future state programs and budgets. But what about the budgets of Kentucky families?
Consider that the 0.5% reduction in income tax is estimated to put $718 million back into the pockets of Kentuckians. This means the sanitation worker making $25 an hour will have around an additional $1000/year to spend on needs he believes are best for himself and his family. Doesn’t it make sense for the government to empower people and families to keep more of their hard-earned money and to spend or save it as they see fit?
If the family is the foundation of a thriving society and economy, shouldn’t our leaders explore every means to strengthen it in a sustainable way? Why not encourage family formation? According to a Lane Report story last year, Kentucky ranks eighth worst in the nation for marriage decline since 2000. Why not expand tax deductions for married couples? What about increasing tax benefits for children? With an average birth rate of only 1.8 children per Kentucky woman—below replacement levels—these questions are more pressing than ever.
Such proposals may not be as flashy as a new state program aimed at addressing financial needs. But the abundance of government programs—and the push for more—stems from a deeper issue: families are not forming, and too many Kentucky children lack the support of two parents. In many cases, a parent is absent or struggling with addiction, prompting the state to step in with initiatives like universal pre-K for every four-year-old, a key priority for Gov. Andy Beshear. According to the 2023 Kids Count County Data Book, only 46% of Kentucky kindergarteners were deemed “ready to learn” upon entering school. When first proposed in 2022, universal pre-K carried an estimated price tag of $172 million.
The desire to give children a strong start in life and a good education transcends partisanship. While centralized ideas, one-size-fits-all solutions, and big budgets may seem the right path, they often overlook the essential role of strong families and engaged parents. The real challenge is ensuring the government exercises restraint, resisting the urge to act as a substitute for parents or rely on spending alone while neglecting the irreplaceable, pre-political institutions of family and parenthood.
So long as children struggle in fractured families, there will be proposals for more government assistance, all with hefty price tags. However, the perverse incentive to forgo family formation is far costlier. Strong families and smaller government go hand in hand. With strong, two-parent families involved in raising the next generation, there is less need for government support. Kids with both parents involved in their lives are more likely to enter school ready to learn and less likely to need free lunch and after-school programs. In the end, parents get to keep more of their tax dollars to provide and shape their children’s future. It’s a policy position Republicans have embraced for years.
