WHY NEWS AT 11. GOOD EVENING. I’M VICKI DORTCH AND I’M RICK VAN HOOSE. TONIGHT, MEMBERS OF LOUISVILLE’S BUSINESS COMMUNITY GATHER TO OUTLINE ITS LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR NEXT YEAR’S GENERAL SESSION. WLKY DREW GARNER WAS THERE. HE JOINS US NOW LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM WITH MORE. DREW? WELL, VICKIE, THE EVENT WAS HOSTED BY GREATER LOUISVILLE INC, WHICH IS THE LOUISVILLE METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. IN ALL, THERE ARE 23 PAGES OF POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS. IT WILL BE FOCUSED ON DURING THIS YEAR’S SESSION, WHICH IS NOW LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY. IN JUST 28 DAYS, THE KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY WILL CONVENE FOR THE 2023 REGULAR SESSION. PART OF WHAT GREATER LOUISVILLE INK DOES IS CREATE A LIST OF PRIORITIES TO ADVOCATE FOR IN FRANKFORT. OUR ORGANIZATIONS OVERALL GOAL IS TO GROW THE REGIONAL ECONOMY BY BRINGING IN MORE, MORE JOBS, MORE INVESTMENT, MORE TALENT. AND EVERY POLICY POSITION WE TAKE IS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT POLICY POSITION WILL DO JUST THAT. JLI APPLAUDED THE STATE’S TAX REFORM EFFORTS PASSED THIS YEAR THAT WILL GRADUALLY REDUCE THE STATE’S INCOME TAX, BUT ARE ENCOURAGING LAWMAKERS TO NOW TAKE ON REFORMING LOCAL TAX STRUCTURES, MOVING AWAY FROM PRODUCTION BASED TAXES AND GIVING LOCAL COMMUNITIES FLEXIBILITY IN THEIR TAX CODES. HELPS ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE TO THE AREA AND ALLOWS CITIES AND COUNTIES TO REINVEST IN THEMSELVES. WHILE THE LOUISVILLE REGION HAS ADDED 1000 JOBS SO FAR THIS YEAR, WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION IS STILL LOW. JULY IS ASKING LAWMAKERS TO WORK ON ADDRESSING SOME OF THE BARRIERS, INCLUDING EASING THE IMPACTS OF THE SO-CALLED BENEFITS CLIFF, WHICH OCCURS WHEN PEOPLE ARE REMOVED FROM PUBLIC BENEFITS AFTER AN INCREASE IN WAGES. TAKING THESE STEPS WOULD HELP SMOOTH THE TRANSITION AND ENCOURAGE WORKERS TO EMBRACE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND HIGHER WAGES TO HELP ATTRACT MORE TALENT. ELI IS RECOMMENDING THE STATE ADOPT RELOCATION INCENTIVES, ALONG WITH STUDENT LOAN TAX INCENTIVES FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO STAY AND WORK IN KENTUCKY. WE’RE ALSO FOCUSED ON MORE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS THAT WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IN CASTLE RATED TO REJOIN THE WORKFORCE. JUL IS ALSO RECOMMENDING THE STATE COPY ITS LIVE IN LIEU INITIATIVE TO HELP INCREASE THE STATE’S WORKFORCE AND REVERSE POPULATION GROWTH TRENDS. TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES, JOLIE LAUNCHED OUR LIVE IN LIEU INITIATIVE, WHICH IS AIMED AT INCREASING OUR REGION’S SKILLED WORKFORCE. REVERSING POPULATION GROWTH TRENDS AND ENSURING THAT GREATER LOUISVILLE GROWS AT THE RATE THAT IS COMPETITIVE WITH PEERS. CITIES. SENATE PRESIDENT ROBERT STIVERS AND HOUSE SPEAKER DAVID OSBORN ALSO TOOK PART IN A PANEL DISCUSSION DURING TONIGHT’S EVENT. BOTH SAID THEY HAVE ALREADY HAD CALLS WITH LOUISVILLE MAN ELECT CRAIG GREENBERG ABOUT WAYS THE STATE AND CITY CAN WORK TOGETHER IN THIS UPCOMING SESSION AND B