Leaky Bucket Update Released The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce released a follow-up in July 2011 to their 2009 Leaky Bucket report that identified areas of unsustainable spending growth in the state budget – corrections, Medicaid and public employee health insurance – that are diverting tax dollars from education and economic development. The new report, Building a Stronger Bucket, outlines key developments since the release of the initial report, such as corrections reforms and changes in Medicaid and state health insurance, and identifies challenges remaining.  The report includes specific policy recommendations and suggested state spending principles.  Taylor-Gray Associates prepared the original Leaky Bucket report and 2011 follow-up for the Kentucky Chamber. Click here to download Building a Stronger Bucket.   2011 New Agenda Progress Report Released       The third annual progress report on the New Agenda for Kentucky initiative was released in July 2011 by the Kentucky Camber of Commerce at its annual business summit in Louisville.  The report found that Kentucky has made progress on four of the five goals identified in the New Agenda for Kentucky to move Kentucky forward (improving education attainment, government modernization, promoting wellness, global competitiveness, energy leadership)  Taylor-Gray Associates prepared the 2011 progress report and served as consultants and project manager for the New Agenda for Kentucky. Click here to download the report.   Kentucky Voices for Health Brief on Health Reform Kentucky Voices for Health, a coalition of more than 150 health organizations, released an issue brief in July 2010 intended to help Kentuckians understand the new federal health reform law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. The brief, The New Health Reform Law, What it Means for Kentuckians, was prepared by Taylor-Gray Associates and provides a basic timeline of what will happen under the reforms, describes the impact on Kentucky, presents questions and answers about the new reforms, and offers sources of additional information. Click here to download the brief.   Second New Agenda Progress Report Released The 2010 Progress Report on the New Agenda for Kentucky initiative was released in July by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce at its annual economic summit. The report found that Kentucky has made progress on four of the five goals identified in the New Agenda for Kentucky (improving education attainment, government modernization, promoting wellness, global competitiveness, energy leadership) as ways to improve the economic and civic future for individuals and the state as a whole. Taylor-Gray Associates prepared the progress report and served as consultants and project manager for the New Agenda for Kentucky. Click here to download the report.   2010 Postsecondary Progress Report Released The 2010 Progress Report on Postsecondary Education was released at the Kentucky Chamber’s 2010 Economic Summit. The report updated several postsecondary education indicators released by a 2008 Chamber task force. Key points of progress included enrollment increases, a record number of degrees awarded, and a rate of increase exceeding the national average for adults age 25-34 earning bachelor’s degree. Taylor-Gray Associates prepared the progress report and served as consultants and project manager for the 2008 task force. Click here to download the report.   2009 Roundtable at Shaker Village The 2009 Roundtable at Shaker Village featured Paul Volcker, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve and current chair of the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board. Mr. Volcker addressed a number of issues relating to the national economic downturn and was joined in a roundtable discussion by a panel of public and private sector leaders in Kentucky. Panelists included: Governor Steve Beshear, Metro Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson, Churchill Downs CEO Robert Evans, Brown Foreman CEO Paul Varga, PNC Financial Services Group CEO James Rohr, Mayfair Capital CEO David Grissom, Duke Energy Kentucky/Ohio President Juile Janson, Houston Johnston CEO Alice Houston, Humana CEO Michael McCallister, University of Louisville President Dr. Jim Ramsey, and University of Kentucky President Dr. Lee Todd. Taylor-Gray Associates serve as consultants to the Roundtable at Shaker Village.   Paul Volcker addresses the 2009 Roundtable at Shaker Village. Left to Right: Julie Janson of Duke Energy Kentucky, Jim Rohr of PNC Bank, Mr. Volcker, David Grissom of Mayfair Capital, and Alice Houston of Houston Johnston.

 Diana Taylor Moderates Fourth Annual Economic Summit

Diana Taylor of Taylor-Gray Associates served as the moderator for the Kentucky Chamber's Fourth Annual Economic Summit held in Louisville on July 14 and 15, 2009.  The two-day event featured panel discussions and expert presentations on energy, edoucation, health care, government modernization and the future of Kentucky's economy.  The keynote presentation was delivered by George Will, Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and ABC News analyst.

Diana Taylor moderates a panel on government modernization consisting of (from left) Taylor, Bryan Sunderland, John Cubine and Bob Gray at the Kentucky Chamber’s Fourth Annual Economic Summit.

New Agenda Project Wins ConnectKentucky Award

ConnectKentucky has awarded the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce the 2009 Kentucky Corporate Citizenship Award for creating the New Agenda for Kentucky project. The New Agenda project encouraged Kentuckians to look at things in a different way, think creatively about our challenges and opportunities, and submit ideas to create an energetic new agenda to move our state forward. The project was guided by a private sector task force of both established executives and young entrepreneurs that used newagendaky.com to solicit ideas for improving Kentucky. The project received over 400 ideas from interested citizens, which in 2008 formed the basis of the Kentucky Chamber's strategic plan.

Taylor-Gray Associates served as project manager and consultants for the New Agenda for Kentucky project.

(From left) Rene True, ConnectKentucky, Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Dave Adkisson, Bob Gray, Taylor-Gray Associates, Jim Ford, vice president of business education for the Chamber.

Taylor-Gray Entertain at Prichard Committee Anniversary Celebration

Diana Taylor and Bob Gray of Taylor-Gray Associates provided entertainment at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence.  The event, held in Louisville at the Kentucky Center, included Taylor-Gray performing song parodies of current events. Here's a couple of photo highlights:

Kentucky Voices for Health Releases Report on Improving Child Health Coverage

Kentucky Voices for Health released an issue brief on August 18, 2009 recommending common sense changes in the Kentucky Children's Health Insurance Program that could reduce the number of children without health insurance by as much as 80%. The report estimates that more than 62,000 children are currently eligible but not enrolled in state health coverage programs.

Taylor-Gray Associates serves as consultants for Kentucky Voices for Health.

Download Better Health Coverage for Kentucky's Children: Small Changes Mean Big Improvement

New Agenda Releases Ideas for Improving Kentucky

The New Agenda for Kentucky Task Force released a report on January 9, 2008 highlighting the top 100 ideas for improving Kentucky as part of a project that allowed Kentuckians to submit ideas through a web site and public meetings. The report also identifies five transformational goals to ensure Kentucky's future success.

Taylor-Gray Associates served as consutants and project manager for New Agenda for Kentucky. 

Download the New Agenda for Kentucky report.

Diana Taylor Appears on Comment on Kentucky Special Honoring Al Smith

Diana Taylor appeared as a guest commentator on a special hour-long Comment on Kentucky that honored retiring host Al Smith on November 16, 2007. Taylor, principal in Taylor-Gray Associates and a former Associated Press and Lexington Herald-Leader reporter, was a regular on KET's  Comment during the 1980s. She participated in an alumni panel of journalists on Al Smith's final appearance hosting Comment to discuss developments in Kentucky politics over the years.

View streaming video of Diana Taylor on Comment on Kentucky