Articles by Steven Gilchrist

In June 2021, the American Legislative Exchange Council's (ALEC) Center for State Fiscal Reform released its annual publication regarding state government's unfunded pension liabilities. The Council's annual publication titled: Unaccountable and   Unaffordable, 2020  found that the combined unfunded pension liability for state governments in the United States is $5.82 trillion. This amount averages to $17,748/person.  "Unfunded pension liabilities are a looming threat to states' financial health," says ALEC CEO Lisa B. Nelson. "Unfunded public pension liabilities represent a massive risk for state taxpayers, as well as state workers and retirees. Fortunately, states like Wisconsin, Michigan, Tennessee and Oklahoma have all enacted pension reforms in recent years that will ensure promises to workers and retirees are honored, provide flexibility for young workers and protect hardworking taxpayers," says ALEC executive vice president of policy Jonathan

Last year, cities across the United States saw an increase in the number of homicides compared to recent years. The murder rate increased in cities such as Buffalo, Chicago, and Philadelphia. The number of homicides also increased in Louisville, Kentucky. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation the national murder rate increased nearly 15% in 2021 compared to 2020. As of August 2021, approximately 65% of the murders in Louisville have gone unsolved. As of 2019, the national average for solved murder cases nationwide was 61.4% according to the FBI.  According to the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD), the city of Louisville had 188 homicides in 2021. Last year was the deadliest year on record for the city of Louisville. The previous record for the most homicides in a year for Louisville was in 2020, when 173 people were murdered. According to LMPD records, 583 people were injured by gun violence in 2021. Also, in 2021, 24 children were killed and 123 children were injure