Governor Andy Beshear is again asking President Donald Trump to approve public assistance for parts of Kentucky affected by storms in April and May, including the tornadoes that hit Laurel and Pulaski counties.

President Trump did approve help for individuals affected by those storms, but he hasn't yet acted on public assistance for state, city and county governments.

The governor says if the state gets federal help for cleanup and rebuilding efforts, the state share of the cost would be tens of millions of dollars.

But he says without federal help, the state would pay hundreds of millions.

During his news conference today.

The governor said other states are getting help, as they should.

But he says Kentucky needs that help to.

Now, while I did not think that the president had approved any public assistance since February, he did just approve it for Texas.

And I am glad that he approved it for Texas very quickly.

But I hope what that means is that this is open that program back up, that people are willing to look at it because we have not been denied.

So I'm going to be communicating with our, federal delegation that have gone to bat for us a number of times.

They worked hard, about that, about our need for it and what it means.

And I know politics would never come into any of these decisions.

But if you think about the fact that I think, Laurel County voted for the president, about 84, 85% of all voters, Somerset, 80 plus percent.

I mean, these are these are folks that are counting on the president that they voted for.

And my hope is that he will come through with the same help that was provided in his first term, as well as as under the last president, you know, no time for politics when people are suffering.

And I hope that we can get this assistance.

Also today, Governor Beshear announced that the state property tax rate will go down for the fifth year in a row.

He says for 2025, it will be 10.6 cents for every $100 of assessed value.

It was 10.9 cents in 2024.

The governor says every little bit helps as Kentuckians continue to deal with high prices.