As the partial government shutdown nears the two-week mark, one study suggests Kentucky is not among the states most impacted.
When government operations cease, certain federal employees work without pay or are furloughed, including law enforcement officers, IRS workers, and NASA employees. According to the Kentucky Center for Statistics, the commonwealth had 35,618 federal workers as of June 2018.Some states feel the consequences of a government shutdown more than others. The personal finance website WalletHub studied which states are most affected using five metrics, including the share of federal jobs, the number of families receiving food stamps, and access to national parks.
Kentucky was the 17th most impacted state followed by Tennessee in the 23rd spot. Indiana was among the least burdened states at 47th.
The main issue keeping the government in a partial shutdown is President Trump’s demand for funding for a wall on the border with Mexico.
Copyright 2019 WKU Public Radio
