MCDANIEL, NORTHERN KENTUCKY DELEGATES CELEBRATE TRANSFORMATIONAL FUNDING IN KENTON, SURROUNDING COUNTIES
Senator Chris McDaniel delivered remarks to an audience of northern Kentucky stakeholders on Thursday as leaders gathered to celebrate transformative one-time funding awards for the region
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 4, 2024)—State leaders gathered in Covington on Thursday to celebrate funding investments from the 2024 legislative session, focusing on key investments supporting families, local businesses, infrastructure and community advocacy programs.
Senate Budget Chair Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, led the event, joined by Senate Majority Caucus Chair Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville; Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester; and northern Kentucky Senate delegates Sens. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria; John Schickel, R-Union; and Gex Williams, R-Verona.
During remarks, McDaniel highlighted the importance of over $1 billion in investments into the region, noting funding will have a lasting impact on communities. McDaniel has spent the last several weeks visiting and touring various organizations and programs in Kenton County that have received funding or will qualify to receive funding.
“I’ve been on the ground in Kenton County, seeing firsthand how these funds are being utilized to make a difference,” McDaniel said. “These budget victories are about building strong communities. We have allocated unprecedented one-time funding to support the most vulnerable members of northern Kentucky and to help our economy continue to thrive. The resources going to victims' advocacy programs, healthcare and child welfare will have a lasting impact on families across our region."
Supporting Communities and Families: Key Victims' Advocacy Investments
One of the session's most significant accomplishments was securing $45 million for victims' advocacy programs. This funding includes $27 million to support the ongoing operational costs of domestic violence shelters, child advocacy centers, and rape crisis centers, including the Ion Center for Violence Prevention, which benefits directly from these funds. Additionally, legislators allocated $17.9 million in one-time funding to offset a federal shortfall in the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding.
Adams, a dedicated advocate for child and family welfare, commended McDaniel's leadership in securing these critical funds.
“I want to reflect on the incredible strides we’ve made this session in supporting Kentucky families and families in crisis,” said Adams. “From the child care support programs we’ve funded to the vital services for victims of violence, the projects we’ve launched here in northern Kentucky will make a real difference.”
Adams talked about the balance in Kentucky’s rural and urban areas.
“I cannot say enough about the leadership of Sen. McDaniel,” she said. “As a Louisville legislator, I can see he does an incredible job of bridging that gap between rural, suburban and urban areas. There is a yin and yang in the General Assembly about the rural-urban divide, and Chris threads that needle with such grace. The senate is truly lucky to have a senator like Chris McDaniel.”
Additional Community Support Initiatives
$12 million to the Life Learning Center for drug treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration programs.
$6 million to the Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky (CHNK) for facility upgrades to expand care for youth and families.
$1 million to Covington Partners to support wrap-around services for violence prevention and educational programs.
“These investments represent a holistic approach to supporting our communities,” McDaniel said. “By funding organizations like the Ion Center, Covington Partners, and CHNK, we're directly addressing the needs of our local families. These organizations are doing critical work many of us struggle to even think about, from providing shelter for victims of violence to offering educational support and mental health services. The resources we’ve secured will help them continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who need them most.”
Infrastructure, the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor, and Empowering Small Businesses
Schickel, chair of the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee, commended the leadership of McDaniel and Senate Transportation Chair Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, as well as Senate Leadership before highlighting the importance of investments in growth for northern Kentucky and small businesses.
Schickel also emphasized the $20 million investment in Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), calling it a model airport for the nation. He further commended McDaniel’s role in driving the region’s logistics and spirits industry, which includes bourbon, small-farm wineries, and craft beer, which continues to transform tourism in Kentucky.
“Where I represent in Boone County, infrastructure is so critical,” Schickel said. “I’m proud of our work, not just in this budget, but in my 16 years in the Senate. These efforts ensure growth in areas that pay the bills and support small businesses.”
Local Economy
As the only northern Kentucky senator on the Senate Transportation Committee, Williams spoke about the significance of infrastructure investments, such as those in CVG Airport and local roads, highways, and bridges, and the toll-free Brent Spence Bridge project. He also praised Schickel as “the conscience of the Senate.” He acknowledged Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer for his contributions as both prepare to conclude their time in the state Senate.
“Northern Kentucky drives logistics in the United States,” Williams said. “This is what we do. We move everyone's products from point A to point B, whether it be by land, air or water. We are the driver for the entire Cincinnati region.
“This Brent Spence Bridge project is fantastic, and I don’t think we could have gotten it done without Sen. Higdon and Sen. McDaniel, who have supported the policies and budget decisions over the past eight years that made a $450 million transfer from the general fund to the road fund possible.”
Advancing Healthcare and Public Safety
Funke Frommeyer, co-chair of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary, praised the budget's investments, particularly the $21 million allocated for relocating and renovating the northern Kentucky medical examiner’s office and Kentucky State Police Crime Lab at Northern Kentucky University.
“This is where my heart is, right here in Kenton, Campbell, and Boone Counties,” she said. “I’m grateful that one of my first wins as a legislator was securing this $21 million to turn the old Highland Heights City Building into a co-located crime lab and medical examiner's office. This will be state-of-the-art."
Funke Frommeyer, who has sponsored legislation promoting a “health wellness revolution,” also applauded the $5 million allocated for the Tower Park Community Complex, noting its importance to the local community, including veterans and seniors.
Support for Kentucky High-Growth Regions to Continue
Stivers emphasized the broader significance of northern Kentucky’s success for the entire state.
“I’ve spent time in various regions of Kentucky and know that even in Manchester, population 1,000, we feel the impact of infrastructure improvements in northern Kentucky. When this region thrives, all of Kentucky thrives,” he said.
He closed by highlighting McDaniel's and the legislature's discipline in growing the state's budget reserve trust fund, lowering income taxes from 6 percent to 3.5 percent, and championing conservative policies conducive to economic growth.
“The legislature sets policy, and the folks you have heard from today are the legislature,” Stivers said. “So when you see this transformational funding, it didn’t come from the executive branch but from policymakers. These investments are not political statements; they are policy decisions made by those who know what northern Kentucky needs.
“When you look at our budget reserve trust fund and see how far we’ve come, from zero ten years ago to multi-billion-dollar surpluses, record K-12 education funding, fully funded pensions and more, it’s clear that this group has led the charge on all these issues.”
More to Come
As northern Kentucky continues to grow, Stivers and other lawmakers reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the region has the resources it needs to succeed economically while supporting the well-being of its communities.
“These investments go far beyond economic returns—they are about building safer, healthier, and stronger communities for all of us while being good stewards of Kentucky taxpayer dollars,” added McDaniel. “We are proud of what we’ve accomplished and look forward to seeing these projects improve the lives of northern Kentuckians for generations to come.
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Funding awards were included in various budget legislation from the 2024 Legislative Session, including House Bills 1 and HB 6 and Senate Bill 91.