Leaders discuss infrastructure, local growth
Published 6:00 am Friday, December 13, 2024
(From left) Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, Senate President Pro Tempore David Givens, Senate Majority Whip Mike Wilson, Senate Majority Floor Leader Max Wise and Senate Majority Caucus Chair Robby Mills provide updates on regional infrastructure, the economy and other legislative work being done in Frankfort at the Bowling Green Embassy Suites on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Kentucky Senate Majority Whip Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, speaks on the economic growth in the region and the rebuilding since the Dec. 11, 2021, tornadoes as he and Senate President Robert Stivers, President Pro Tempore David Givens, Majority Floor Leader Max Wise and Majority Caucus Chair Robby Mills provide updates on regional infrastructure, the economy and other legislative work being done at the Bowling Green Embassy Suites on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Kentucky Senate Majority Whip Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, speaks on the economic growth in the region and the rebuilding since the Dec. 11, 2021, tornadoes as he and Senate President Robert Stivers, President Pro Tempore David Givens, Majority Floor Leader Max Wise and Majority Caucus Chair Robby Mills provide updates on regional infrastructure, the economy and other legislative work being done at the Bowling Green Embassy Suites on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Kentucky Senate Majority Caucus Chair Robby Mills, R-Henderson, speaks on the region’s police and fire training facility, bridges and other transportation infrastructure projects in the region as he and Senate President Robert Stivers, President Pro Tempore David Givens, Majority Floor Leader Max Wise and Majority Whip Mike Wilson provide updates on regional infrastructure, the economy and other legislative work being done at the Bowling Green Embassy Suites on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Kentucky Senate Majority Caucus Chair Robby Mills, R-Henderson, speaks on the region’s police and fire training facility, bridges and other transportation infrastructure projects in the region as he and Senate President Robert Stivers, President Pro Tempore David Givens, Majority Floor Leader Max Wise and Majority Whip Mike Wilson provide updates on regional infrastructure, the economy and other legislative work being done at the Bowling Green Embassy Suites on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Senate Majority Floor Leader Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, speaks on economic growth in the Kentucky Transpark, funding for BRADD and financial support for Operation PRIDE beautification projects as he and Senate President Robert Stivers, President Pro Tempore David Givens, Majority Whip Mike Wilson and Majority Caucus Chair Robby Mills provide updates on regional infrastructure, the economy and other legislative work being done at the Bowling Green Embassy Suites on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Senate Majority Floor Leader Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, speaks on economic growth in the Kentucky Transpark, funding for BRADD and financial support for Operation PRIDE beautification projects as he and Senate President Robert Stivers, President Pro Tempore David Givens, Majority Whip Mike Wilson and Majority Caucus Chair Robby Mills provide updates on regional infrastructure, the economy and other legislative work being done at the Bowling Green Embassy Suites on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Kentucky Senate President Pro Tempore David Givens, R-Greensburg, speaks on state funding of Western Kentucky University, the Gatton Academy, the Kentucky Mesonet at WKU, LifeWorks and more as he and Senate President Robert Stivers, Majority Whip Mike Wilson, Majority Floor Leader Max Wise and Majority Caucus Chair Robby Mills provide updates on regional infrastructure, the economy and other legislative work being done at the Bowling Green Embassy Suites on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Kentucky Senate President Pro Tempore David Givens, R-Greensburg, speaks on state funding of Western Kentucky University, the Gatton Academy, the Kentucky Mesonet at WKU, LifeWorks and more as he and Senate President Robert Stivers, Majority Whip Mike Wilson, Majority Floor Leader Max Wise and Majority Caucus Chair Robby Mills provide updates on regional infrastructure, the economy and other legislative work being done at the Bowling Green Embassy Suites on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, speaks on budget reserves for disasters, industrial recruitment and other purposes, as well as population growth and other topics as he and Senate President Pro Tempore David Givens, Majority Whip Mike Wilson, Majority Floor Leader Max Wise and Majority Caucus Chair Robby Mills provide updates on regional infrastructure, the economy and other legislative work being done at the Bowling Green Embassy Suites on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Members of Kentucky’s Senate leadership gathered in Bowling Green Wednesday, hearing updates from local civic and business leaders on regional infrastructure and economic developments.
Senate President Pro Tempore David Givens, R-Greensburg, Senate Majority Whip Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, Senate Majority Floor Leader Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, Senate Majority Caucus Chair Robby Mills, R-Henderson, and Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, discussed their priorities for 2025 and several items in the Senate budget for the region in a press conference after the meeting.
“Here is the fastest growing city and county in the state of Kentucky,” Wilson said. “It makes a lot of sense that there was a lot of focus that was placed on the growth communities.”
Wilson spoke on the upcoming Anchor Project, which aims to build a centralized location for those struggling with mental illness or drug addiction. The project was appropriated $20 million from Frankfort to build a care facility in Bowling Green, and will be managed by LifeSkills once completed.
He also said Warren County and the surrounding area has become a prime center for business and economic growth, citing expansions in the fields of aluminum and the arts.
“You see a lot of things happening that do not happen unless the community is thriving and growing,” Wilson said.
Funding for Western Kentucky University was also discussed. Givens, in his own words a “proud WKU grad,” said the state has allocated over $200 million for the university.
“WKU is such a vital part of this community,” Givens said. “It’s such a vital part in shaping not just Warren County, but southcentral Kentucky.”
The total amount allocated for WKU is broken down into different categories, including $10.5 million for Gatton Academy, around $6 million for inflation adjustment and over $4 million to help the university adjust for safety costs associated with the state’s rising insurance premium for fires and tornadoes.
Givens also spoke on the increase of money inside the Senate’s Budget Reserve Trust Fund. He said in 2015, the fund had a balance of $0. Now, the fund has grown to around $5 billion.
“We have funded K through 12 education and postsecondary education at the highest levels in history,” Givens said. “We’ve been able to fund pensions far and above anything we’ve ever been able to do … (and) we’ve been able to lower the personal income tax in Kentucky from 6% to what is ultimately going to be a 3.5% level.”
Wise represents a portion of eastern Warren County that contains the Kentucky Transpark. During the press conference Wise stated that it seems every time he comes to Bowling Green, “there’s a ribbon cutting.”
“That Transpark area, it has been tremendous to see what’s happening there,” Wise said.
Speaking on infrastructure improvements in Warren County, Wise cited the ongoing improvement projects along U.S. 31-W, near the Simpson County Line and at other locations throughout the county.
Wise also pointed to the upcoming bridge construction on Interstate 165 near Three Springs Road and the need for water line access near the Warren-Allen County line.
“Because of growth, it’s a lot of congestion,” Wise said. “We know that’s going to be something of a concern.”
Wednesday marked the third anniversary of the 2021 tornadoes which tore through Warren County and surrounding areas.
Speaking on how business investment and economic growth have changed in the region since, Wilson said the recovery process hit a point where “we had to start rebuilding infrastructure.”
“Where it came down the Bypass (and hit) all the electrical lines and poles and everything, there was a lot of rebuilding that went on,” he said.
He said as the city and county emerged from the destruction, economic growth continued in the Transpark. He said had it not been for the Transpark, “we would still be way behind the eight ball.”
Wise agreed, saying Warren County was in a better setting for the disaster than a smaller community would have been.
“It’s just very exciting to see from where that event happened to where we are today,” Wise said. “I think anybody across the United States would look at Bowling Green and say ‘wow, that was an amazing job.’ ”
About Jack Dobbs
Jack covers city government for the Daily News. Originally from Simpson County, he attended Western Kentucky University and graduated in 2022 with a degree in journalism.
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