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Gov. Beshear points to economic projects in COVID era

Beshear
Posted at 9:53 AM, Dec 09, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-09 09:53:10-05

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Despite the economic turmoil caused by the coronavirus, Kentucky’s governor said his office has announced more than 270 economic development projects during his first year in office.

Those projects totaled more than $2.5 billion in investments by private-sector companies and will create more than 8,700 full-time jobs for Kentuckians, Gov. Andy Beshear said Tuesday.

In 2020, the average incentivized wage through November on jobs created averaged $21.66 per hour, one of the state’s highest levels in years, the Democratic governor said.

Once the COVID-19 pandemic is defeated, Beshear said his goal is to build a Kentucky economy based increasingly on “more resilient and higher-paying jobs.”

“Our future is going to be entirely different post-COVID, with more opportunity for Kentuckians,” he told The Associated Press in a recent interview. “Where businesses are no longer looking for density. Where there is more opportunity for remote work, giving us chances at new and different types of jobs.”