Kentucky's bad blue-state habits: Kentucky ranks 16th nationally in government spending.

In an op-ed appearing in the National Review this week, BIPPS observed:

Though considered a solid “red state” because we vote for Republicans in presidential elections, the truth is that the size and scope of Kentucky’s state government is more like those in New York and California than in Alabama or North Carolina. Government spending is the lifeblood of redistribution, and Frankfort spends with the best — or rather, the worst — of them.

BIPPS “Lost Decades” report released last year stated:

Kentucky has a strong preference for higher levels of government spending, the lifeblood of progressive redistribution. Higher taxes, high government spending and substantial debt firmly place Kentucky in fiscal categories normally reserved for larger “blue states.”

The report included FY 2018 figures from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) showing Kentucky ranked in the top 20 of the highest spending states. Our per-capita spending exceeded spending in New Jersey, California, Illinois and Michigan.

KFF’s latest figures - using FY 2019 data - reveal the same facts. Kentucky ranks 16th nationally (again) in total state expenditures per capita.

The table below is an updated comparison of Kentucky with the same states in the “Lost Decades” report:

Here’s where each state ranks nationally:

New York 10th, Kentucky 16th, California 17th, New Jersey 22nd, Michigan 33rd, Alabama 34th, Illinois 36th, Indiana 43rd, Tennessee 44th, North Carolina 46th.

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Credit: “Kentucky’s bad blue-state habits” was the headline of our recent op-ed published in the National Review. It’s a great way to frame theses issues so we’ll use it but want to give proper credit to NR staff for their headline.