FRANKFORT, Ky. — Defined benefit pensions are a major factor for recruiting and retaining new teachers in the Commonwealth, and according to new research by the National Institute on Retirement Security, more than 96% of teachers say whittling away pensions would drastically affect the state's ability to attract new teachers to the profession.

Laura Adams is a fourth-generation teacher in Henry County. She said finding new recruits for open teaching positions at her school has been a challenge.

"It has just dried up. We just do not have people going into the profession, because they perceive that it's under attack,” Adams said. “They perceive that their retirement may not be there for them, and so they don't even want to start. And that is really unfortunate because I have a 6-year-old daughter. I'm truly worried about who is going to teach her when she's in high school."

The study also found 74% of teachers in the Commonwealth would be better off in retirement with a defined benefit pension compared with a 401(K).

Brent McKim is president of the Jefferson County Teachers Association. He said the 6,000 teachers he represents are worried about their future and that of their newly hired colleagues.

"They know that that will make a difference in whether or not the newly hired teacher in their building is high-quality or not,” McKim said.

Some studies have indicated that few teachers stay in the profession long enough to qualify for a defined benefit pension. But the National Institute on Retirement Security report found in Kentucky, more than 60% of teachers work in the school system for 20 years or more - long enough to earn their retirement income.

Adams said people outside of the profession may think teachers are getting a handout in the form of a pension. But she said that's a damaging misconception.

"Of course, I know, and all the other teachers I work with know, we put 13% of our paychecks into the system every month. So, it really is something that we're vested in,” Adams said. “And I think a lot of politicians have maximized that misconception."

She added that shifting to a 401(k) plan would likely increase turnover among experienced teachers, and put more pressure on already strained staff.


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FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Kentucky lawmakers heard from the state's nurses, firefighters, truck drivers, grocery store employees and other essential workers yesterday in the first of two public hearings on how to distribute essential-worker bonus pay.

Gov. Andy Beshear has said he wants to use $400 million in federal aid out of more than $2 billion the state is expected to receive in American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Rep. Joni Jenkins, D-Louisville, said workers' input on how the coronavirus impacted their profession will be considered by a special workgroup as lawmakers debate how to divvy up the funding.

"The workgroup will be issuing recommendations to the governor about how to use this money, and may be part of his budget bill or may be a stand-alone bill when we go back into session in January," Jenkins noted.

According to the Kentucky Center for Statistics, more than three quarters of the state's residents, 1.4 million people, are employed in critical occupations, the third highest in the nation, behind Mississippi and Indiana.

Federal rules issued by the Treasury Department allow states to provide bonus pay up to an additional $13 per hour in addition to a person's regular pay, without exceeding $25,000 dollars per eligible employee.

Rep. Buddy Wheatley, D-Covington, explained bonus pay is available specifically to frontline workers who could not work remotely and who faced health risks due to the nature of their profession.

"All of these groups will have an opportunity to say what they want," Wheatley stated. "We're not going to be able to get everybody to testify. But we have left open the availability of written testimony."

He said written comments will be accepted through the end of December. Anyone who wants to testify or submit input in writing can contact Shellee Hayden in the Kentucky House Democratic Caucus office at shellee.hayden@lrc.ky.gov.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As the U.S. Senate considers President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act, environmental advocates have a musical message for West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who has repeatedly said he is holding out on voting for the legislation over concerns about the bill's cost, the national debt and inflation.

"Hey Joe" is pegged to the tune of the Beatles' classic "Hey Jude." The song's music video features residents from across the state urging Manchin to support the climate initiatives outlined in the $1.75 trillion spending package.

Ron Sowell, a singer-songwriter based in Charleston, said he was asked to sing at a recent climate rally when he got the inspiration for the song.

"I think it's a very respectful but very direct appeal to him," Sowell explained. "We're appealing to his better angels. I think he's a reasonable man, and we're hoping that we're having a positive impact on his decision process."

The video was released by AMP Media, with support from West Virginia climate groups.

According to the Center for American Progress, the $555 billion allotted in the bill to tackle the climate crisis are estimated to slash the nation's carbon emissions in half by 2030.

Angie Rosser, executive director of the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, said over the past decade, West Virginia has experienced nearly a dozen extreme weather events, costing the state $2 billion in damages and leaving residents increasingly vulnerable.

"We know that Sen. Manchin is a key vote on this, and important to make sure he's hearing from West Virginians in every way possible he has our support in supporting those climate provisions," Rosser asserted.

Doris Fields, a Beckley resident who wrote a segment of the song's chorus, said it was important to her to voice her opinion as a resident of the Mountain State who has seen firsthand the impacts of climate change in her community.

"I think this was like one of the very least things that I could do to contribute to whatever might compel Sen. Manchin to actually represent for his state," Fields argued.

A recent survey by the group Blue Green Alliance showed 66% of West Virginia voters want the Build Back Better Act to prioritize investments to coal mining communities likely to be most affected by the transition to clean energy.

The poll also found three-quarters of those surveyed believed making more products in the U.S. and bringing good jobs back to the U.S. is a very or fairly important reason to pass the Build Back Better plan.

ASHLEY, Pa. -- The trillion-dollar infrastructure bill passed by Congress last month includes $11.3 billion for abandoned-mine reclamation and cleanup over the next 15 years.

For Pennsylvania's coal communities, the support is long overdue, and they are hopeful it will create jobs for the region.

Bobby Hughes, executive director of the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, said the funds could help redevelop the estimated 180,000 acres left abandoned in the wake of the 1977 Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Act.

Hughes pointed out the federal resources are a chance to invest in clean energy.

"We're 50 years out from that, and we're still looking for new economies," Hughes remarked. "This is a way for us to see a shot in the arm to have other industries start looking toward Pennsylvania to start coming up with some other types of solutions that are long-term commitments to the region."

Pennsylvania will receive roughly $253 million annually for abandoned-mine lands from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, more than any of the other 24 states and three tribes, according to the Appalachian Citizen's Law Center.

Abandoned mines can have far-reaching consequences on local communities, with toxic heavy metals having the potential to leak into groundwater, surface water and soil.

Dana Kuhnline, legislative coordinator for the group Appalachian Voices, said with a large influx of money, the goal is to address the environmental hazards.

"State agencies and local reclamation partners have all been pretty strapped," Kuhnline explained. "They've been doing a lot of what I've heard described as chasing landslides. So they're only able to address the most severe or dangerous incidences of abandoned mine lands that are in communities."

An analysis by the Ohio River Valley Institute found an estimated $20 billion are needed to clean up abandoned-mine lands in the U.S.