A record-breaking $14 million has now been spent by groups for and against Kentucky’s proposed constitutional amendment to allow public funding to go to private and charter school education, which voters will choose in November.
This spending on Amendment 2 has been driven by multimillion dollar contributions from Pennsylvania billionaire Jeff Yass on the “school choice” side supporting the amendment, and from teacher unions opposed to it.
The latest campaign finance reporting period over the last two weeks also shows an influx of millions from “dark money” nonprofits that can shield the identity of their donors — including one connected Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who starred in one ad opposed to Amendment 2.
Political action committees on each side of the issue have now raised roughly $8 million for the advertisement battle over the amendment. Coming into the final two weeks before Election Day, four groups in support of the amendment have reported spending $7.6, while two opposed to it have spent $6.4 million.
The ads opposed to the amendment have said it would siphon tax dollars away from public schools to fund private school vouchers that would disproportionately benefit the wealthy in urban areas. The ads supporting the amendment have said it would give more choice to parents and improve student outcomes, while also claiming it would actually increase public school funding and teacher salaries.
The $14 million of spending on Amendment 2 is already double the previous spending record over a constitutional amendment referendum in Kentucky, as groups spent roughly $7 million in the fight over an amendment involving abortion rights in 2022.
Read the rest at Louisville Public Media.
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