Bevin Touts 'Record' Economic Numbers in Kentucky

Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin is touting what he says are unprecedented economic numbers in the commonwealth.

Bevin told West Kentucky Star on Monday that many indicators of economic health in the state are at an all-time high, including employment numbers and income. 

"We have never had more Kentuckians working. We've never had a higher per-capita income in this state. We've never had a lower unemployment in this state." He said.

Bevin also said record investment dollars are pouring into the state.

"We have more dollars being invested in our state, $17.3 billion in the last three years," Bevin said." "This is the kind of thing that should give us great encouragement."

A new report from the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy challenges some of Bevin's assertions that corporate investments are setting-off an economic revival, saying the $9.2 billion in investment announcements in 2017 are not fully accurate.

The report said more than 80 percent of the new job announcements were from companies already operating in the state, before the state's right-to-work law went into effect. The research also reportedly found the state added only 700 jobs a month in the 21 months since right-to-work, in contrast to the 2,100 new jobs a month in the 21 months before it passed.  

Bevin dismissed the report, saying the state has achieved the highest workforce participation ever and record-low unemployment.

"We've never had a higher percentage of our workforce working," He said. "Not just absolute numbers of people, but workforce participation is the highest it's ever been."