Now, more news from Frankfort as lawmakers work on preparing the state's next two year budget.

One group is trying to get more voices heard during the process.

The Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, which is a progressive leaning think tank, is including or is holding its annual can Take Kentucky Policy conference tomorrow.

We spoke with the executive director, Jason Bailey, about the conference and its focus on giving communities across the state a say on how public dollars are spent.

I think people are getting more engaged at the moment.

I think that they have strong opinions one way or another about what's going on in the country, and that trickles down to the state level.

And a lot of the issues that we're dealing with the legislature are dealing with in this session have to do with decisions made at the federal level.

So there's a direct connection in which, things they see and are probably more aware of in Washington.

Impact.

The decisions in Frankfort and therefore what happens in their local communities.

The big and most important issue facing Kentuckians is affordability.

They're finding that the cost of of basic needs, whether that's housing, child care, groceries, electricity are out of reach for many Kentuckians who aren't seeing their wages grow or their incomes grow.

So, you know, we we, we look at issues and especially in the current context, through that lens, the most important tool the state has to help families deal with affordability is the state budget, which is also the most important piece of legislation that lawmakers will pass.

So we are looking, somewhat anxiously at the state budget, and with real concerns about, what's going to be in it and what's going to be left out, because we have, the effect of income tax cuts that have been enacted.

The last few years that are reducing the amount of revenue.

That plus a slowing economy means less money for things that that people that people need, especially at this moment, the budget is the most powerful tool we have as Kentuckians together to help make our lives better.

So it's so important that everyday folks participate in the process.

These decisions have long term implications for, you know, the quality of life for our kids, for our seniors, for the kind of, infrastructure, whether education or physical, we are building to be a robust state.

It really matters what lawmakers ultimately end up putting in that budget.

We have advocates, from different, you know, organizations, membership organizations, community labor, etc., that that come.

So, we have some decision makers who who come to that conference.

We have folks urban and rural, east and west, central Kentucky who, really represent a broad array of folks who, you know, aren't are typically the ones who are at the table when the final decisions are made, but are the are the kind of people that we want to see, more engaged if we're going to have a robust a more robust democracy and ultimately better outcomes.

Well, we show them success stories.

I mean, there there are lots of examples where even small groups of Kentuckians came together to advocate for more funding for things, and they won.

But this has happened over time.

So, you know, I think there's a lot, that, a little goes a long way in terms because the budget is complex.

There are a lot of numbers.

So we break things down, we produce a budget primer that just makes the process as simple as possible.

The state budget is filed in under House Bill 500, and it will be having hearings on that measure in the days and weeks to come.