"The Foundation for Progress"

 

Planning Strategically for Kentucky's Future

 

Old State CapitolCHouse Chamber

November 15, 1994

 

Overview by Michal Smith-Mello

 

! Physical Info:Kentucky debt burden is 22nd in U. S. (about average). Yet, there remains:

Ca high level of concern regarding Kentucky's "tax competitiveness"

Cfiscal/budget pressuresCcaused largely by Medicaid's 100% increase between 1987-93;

the General Fund has increased 50% during this period.

 

Wastewater for treatment plans, $1.5 billion is needed. Drinking water: 20% have no access to treated drinking water. There are 377 small systems need technical assistance/funding.

 

Highways: The number of vehicles is up 12%; miles driven are up 33% 1980-90; highway improvements are needed.

 

! Environmental Integrity: This is not exclusive to/of economic growth.

 

Even with cleaner streams, contamination is widespread. Waste: Kentucky has less

generally, but less is also recycled.

 

! Human PotentialCConcerns are shifting from physical infrastructure to people.

Infrastructure must include the development of human potential.

 

HealthC_______ is shifting to primary care/prevention. Kentucky is the 2nd highest state for hypertension.

 

PovertyC28% in '90 up from 23% in '80.

One-fourth Kentucky children (versus one-fifth in the U.S.) Some say Kentucky's child poverty rate is 50%! These all represent "costly outcomes."

 

EducationC28% graduated in '60; 65% in '90. 5% of the population were college graduates in '60. It was 14% in '90. 35% of the adults 25 and over have no diplomaCand is fast becoming inadequateC"yesterday's preparation."

 

Vocational EducationCbasically, education between high school and college. 52% will need post- secondary schooling, but not college.

CCollege enrollment is up 22% at Kentucky collegesCand 105% at the community colleges.

CThe state share of higher education is declining.

 

Even with its "declining affordability," Kentucky's higher education is still a "good buy" nationally (just 81% of national average cost.) Kentucky tuition increases in 1994+11% at a "flagship" universities;+5% at regional colleges/universities+ 14% at the community colleges (The U.S. average for 1994 was 6%.)

 

Crime. Up 62% '82-'91 (violent crime) Juvenile arrests are up by +60%. Kentucky's prison population was 3,000 in 1973. It's expected to be 15,000 by 2000. Costs are up by 76%.

 

Social "Community/civic engagement" is crucial. Club memberships are down; but the number of non-profits is up (14,500). Social capital is the "Key to development."

 

Betty GriffithCEvery things hinges together. It's "separate"Cas with the fingers, but togetherCas in the hand.

 

Sherry JelsmaCHow do the social, human, and physical infrastructures affect progress for the future?

My cabinet is a patchworkClike the approach we'll have to take to correct problems. We've thrown money at problems" from Frankfort. It didn't work. The cost of failure, crisis intervention, duplication, narrow focus of programs, and poor accountability in education: all must be examined and changed.

KERA has set world-class standards. We live in a global economy, not just within city/state/national boundaries.

 

Our biggest project is KERA. Also, we must look at technology. "It's just as bad to drop out at 60 as 16."

We'll work in groups and learn to listen: we must work together! Every child, everyone, can learn more. Love learning. Without it, you'll get nowhere.

 

The Kentucky Commission of Family & Children consists of the respective Cabinet Secretaries and appointed citizens. We're looking at the way Kentuky delviers services. Only a collaborative approach is going to work. We must focus on children and families; we must improve service delivery!

 

Two tenants predominate: 1) a collaborative approach, 2) listening to the people servedCthe customer.

We must empower and engage communities. We must "Connect" and "re-connect."

 

Public engagement; Parental involvement. The Kentucky 2000 Initiative. "Cultural empowerment zones"/Enterprise zones (education, arts, humanities) All these are key to future success.

 

William HoustonCWe see recurring themes.The National Governors Association six years ago said to back home and assemble the education/training elements in your state and create "workforce development" entities. Kentucky was the first in 1990, to elevate these issues to the cabinet level. Previously these were in five separate cabinets, with no spokesperson.

 

Formerly, we thought once we graduated someone our job was finished. Now, we know that the "crisis" of Kentucky's workforce is dropouts. One-half of our work-force is functionally illiterate. Kentucky must have adult education/literacy/lifelong learning priorities.

 

It is no longer traditional to be trained at an education siteCbut in the workplace! There is where we primarily train nowCand often "on the clock" of those particular businesses.

 

William Hintze Jr. The physical infrastructure comes at a higher price tag than the human infrastructureCgets lots of attention from everyone. Not just "new" infrastructure, but re-building what we have which is often and is antiquated, needing overhaul. This includes our state hospitals, jails, prisons, roads, services/waterlines, etc.

 

There were 3,000 inmates in 1973; there will be 15,000 in 2000. And Kentucky builds fewer jailsand has lower incarceration population than most states. A new eight-bed IC/MFR facility costs $800,000. No alternatives are on the table!

 

Roads, bridges, schools get most infrastructure dollars. Tremendous new demands must now be allocated to meet the "Information Highway" age (at a cost of $100 million plus). In the tremendous competition for public dollars these needs crowd out other things.

 

With the recent trends in Washington, D. C., Kentucky must to do more on its own. The federal pipelines are drying up.

 

Kentucky State Government and localities/special districts: We must realize there is going to be changing there too. The state provides a disproportionate share in Kentucky. Most states place a higher burden on local governments. (Historically that's not the way in Kentucky!) That problem won't change!

 

These are profound implications on local community coming from Frankfort. Some boundaries, impediments need to be removed.

 

Ron Eller - three things are critical (crisis problems) to Kentucky:

 

1) PlaceCThere is a growing crisis (gap) between communities with which to negotiate the future. The predominately rural/inner cities have limited prospects. The gap between the haves and have nots is wide! Disparities tend to accelerate.

 

2) Distressed PeopleCPoverty levels are rising in the Eastern Kentucky countiesCand per capita income rates worsen.

 

3) SubstainabilityCThe key to build substainable communities/work environment is to educate, for life long, learning maximize the use of their natural resources, create better civic environments.

The gap in distressed cities is getting worse; we have a growing two-tiered society in Kentucky with a growing potential for conflict.

 

The manufacturing base has increased only in certain areas of Kentucky. In Eastern Kentucky the manufacturing base has declined 6% (and it's even larger in "inner core" Appalachian counties.)

The ten poorest Eastern Kentucky counties lost 1,500 jobs?

 

In 1990, their income level was 63% of the national average. It was 68% in 1980Cso it's declined significantly.

 

42% of its people were poorCincluding 47% of its children. Female-headed households are increasing dramatically. Some census tracts in the area are 100% poor.

 

In Appalachia, 49% have no high school diplomas; 56% of the age 3-4 children are not in any preschool. Thus, they are the least prepared for school, and after school, for jobs.

 

Outdated and ineffective social structures complicate the problem. We must strengthen those parts weak in past. Progress must be for all!

 

On the third pointCsubstanabilityCthe U. S. alone accepts birth, life and death of communities. It's a comment on how we see life that some communities should die and others should live.

 

Ronald Eaglin. The story was told of a man who was "lost." No, not lost, just "directionally challenged." If you take Louisville/Jefferson County; Lexington/Fayette; and Northern Kentucky out, you see a very different picture. We're a family of haves and have-nots.

 

Newcomers would say: "We've used micro technique, to solve macro problems for a long time."

What do Kentuckians want? Jobs! Quality of life!

 

But the 30 most impoverished counties are those furtherest from the Interstates. They will remain poor if the infrastructure eludes them as the roads did.

 

"De-population" not new. Vermont was de-populated! People follow opportunities.

Many left; many good people remainCjust not enough of them. There are just too lew leaders and expecially few young ones!

 

There is a strong "sense of place" everywhere.

 

Higher education must quit being obsessed with growth. I want my university to be better, not bigger!

"Use our brain powerCour gray powerCto help!" We'll prosper if our community prospers!"

 

We need rewards for public service!

 

Questions & Answers

 

Speaker: The"Information Highway"!! Take the libraries as where they are now, or people will remain have-nots.

 

Speaker: The "Information Highway" Specifications always call for services to/in all 120 counties, so no one's going to be passed.

 

Barriers? All Kinds. Trying to find ways around is the key. ButCresources (money!) are limited. That's where the debate comes down.

 

As we see trends/boundaries, so often we're not able to carry out "sustainable" efforts with changing courses (political), political vagaries, and primary programs like Medicaid. Sustaining KERA is the substantive requirement for the future! It's more important than the physical instrastructure, but in the "political" debate that'll remain to be seen.

 

Eaglin: Look at other statesCwhen they were moving from rural to urban. It's different working with rural poor versus urban poor. Look at all the factors to decide where dollars go, and where the long-term benefits are.

 

Griffin: If there was success pre-KERA, it had to do with partners and their attitude. "Give me money without accountabilityCand I'll give you the system we now have." I've yet to meet a mother who wants their child to fail, go to jail, etc.

 

"There was a time when Kentucky did educate all its children" KERA was created for those children "falling through cracks." Re-model, re-mould, and "fix" problems. But be careful with the people selected.

 

Judge Larry Whittaker: Engage. Empower. But add: Energize the people of Kentucky.

At the local level we must define acceptable committee levels of services. Policy formulation, yes, it's needed, but we lack in implementation!

 

"What is government going to do to help?" "Hard, fast implementation...that's where we're lacking."