bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Urban Structure and the Spacing of Cities: An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Hourihan J. Kevin , Roseman Curtis C.
Published: March 2021

There is both empirical and theoretical evidence that the population size of urban centers is closely related to their spatial distribution. Population size involves considerably more than Christaller’s concept of centrality: it includes basic and non-basic activity at the secondary, tertiary, and quaternary levels. Concepts based on transportation and administration principles and aspects of Loschian theory explain part of this relationship. To investigate the relationship between specific aspects of functional size and the distance separating cities, an exploratory model is tested in west-central Oklahoma. Ten orthogonal components explain most of the variance in a 35-variable matrix which embraces functional, demographic, social and surface characteristics of the urban system. Four distinct hierarchical levels exist in this area. Scores on the ten components are used to predict the distance separating cities from their nearest neighbors of similar or higher hierarchical levels. Almost 79 percent of the spacing variation is explained, with 68 percent of the total explained by two service-type components.
Criteria for and a Model of Efficient Location Subsidy Design and Administration: A Comment
Authors: Laird William E.
Published: March 2021

This comment discusses the proposals put forth in Asch (1973).
Returns to Southern Migration
Authors: Laber Gene
Published: March 2021

The importance of geographic mobility is well recognized in the literature on regional economic growth. Effects of migration are an especially interesting issue in the case of migration to and from the South. The major purpose of this paper is to estimate returns to Southern migration for the period 1960-1966.
The Cost of the City Worker’s Family Budget: Comment
Authors: Engels Richard A.
Published: March 2021

This paper discusses Hurd (1973).
Industrial Structure and Spatial Inputs and Outputs in the American Economy: Comment
Authors: Brazzel John M.
Published: March 2021

This paper is a comment on Hale (1973).
Market Imperfections, Social Costs of Strip Mining, and Policy Alternatives: Comment
Authors: McCarl Henry N.
Published: March 2021

This paper is a comment on Bohm et al (1973).
Estimation of the Value of Travel Time: Models Considering Binary and Multi Mode Choice: Comment
Authors: Moesback Ernie
Published: March 2021

This paper is a comment on Kraft and Kraft (1973).
The Impact of Projected Changes in the Textile and Apparel Industries on the Economy of the Southeast: Comment
Authors: Stepp James M.
Published: March 2021

This paper is a comment on Floyd and Fields (1973).
Economic Disparities in Metropolitan Areas
Authors: Ziegler Joseph A.
Published: March 2021

The analysis of business fluctuations usually involves a careful examination of national data. The measurement of fluctuations in this manner reduces the analysis to an examination of data which are weighted summations of the economic activity of a nation’s component regions. Several studies demonstrate that activity in the United States deviates, sometimes markedly, from that of the nation as a whole. Regional differences in growth and industrial composition are most often cited as likely explanations of this phenomenon. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the causes of interurban differentials in economic activity. Differences in urban activity will be viewed relative to national activity, i.e., since national economic activity is the weighted average of regional activity, including urban regions, urban differences can be viewed as variances from this average.
Air Quality, Environment, and Metropolitan Community Structure
Authors: Moody Jr. Carlisle E. , Humphrey Craig R.
Published: March 2021

In developing an economic-sociological theory of air quality, we begin from the assumption that the underlying causes of air pollution are economic growth and changing social organization. Development of such a model is desirable for at least two reasons. First, the potential hazards of air pollution are so great that a model that predicts air pollution levels for metropolitan areas is greatly needed. Further refinements of work in this direction, including the model developed below, will enable more accurate predictions to be made. Second, a model that identifies the underlying causes of air pollution will allow us to estimate more accurately the true costs of air pollution abatement and further economic growth. Both aspects of this research will be of interest to planners who are considering the impact of certain economic activities in new towns and growing regions. The results will also be of interest to social scientists sutdying the impact of community structure on environmental quality.
Industrial Production Indexes as Tools in Regional Analysis
Authors: Hale Carl W.
Published: March 2021

This paper presents an example of a state or regional industrial production index, along with a discussion of its construction, which utilized only state (or local data). In addition, this index could stand alone as an analytical tool, but could also be a desirable adjunct to any system of regional accounts. The Texas Industrial Production Index will be used as an example of what a regional index might look like.
Urban Industrial Structure and the Relative Income of Non-White Males
Authors: Rasmussen D.W. , Haworth C.T.
Published: March 2021

The analysis of the white/non-white ratio is complicated by the presence of discrimination. This paper addresses this issue using a strategy based on the premise that no satisfactory estimate of the impact of discrimination on the relative income of non-whites will emerge from the analysis. The basis of this argument is that the economic variables included are unlikely to be free of the effect of discrimination.
The Comparative Costs of Location of Manufacturing Firms in Urban Areas: A Boston Case Study
Authors: Hamer Andrew N.
Published: March 2021

This paper develops a framework for analyzing the relevant costs of locating manufacturing firms at different sites in an urban area, through a case study of Boston, Massachusetts. An attempt is made to understand what specific inputs affect the variation in the costs of production over space. Furthermore, with the use of model firms from various industries, an attempt is made to rank these inputs in order of importance.
Tests of Hypothses Relating Regional Industry Location and Growth to Input Productivities in the Food and Kindred Products Industry Group
Authors: Stanford Richard A. , Padgett Jerry H.
Published: March 2021

The purpose of this paper is to test with available empirical data hypotheses concerning causative relationships in the regional economic development context. Specifically, empirical ratios based on theoretical propositions are developed to measure the productivities of expenditures on a variety of inputs in the manufacturing process. These ratios are tested with conventional correlation analysis for their ability to explain regional industry location and growth. Industry Group SIC 20, Food and Kindred Products, was chosen for this analysis because it is the most dispersed industry group in the United States, and thus provides the largest number of observations by states.
Revenue Sharing and Regional Equalization
Authors: Riew John
Published: March 2021

One significant feature that prevails in many of the proposed revenue sharing schemes in the U.S. is the provision calling for some form of equalization among states. Considerations of both equity and efficiency are paramount in the evaluation of fiscal measure. Thus, the current concern with equalization may at least, in part, be on equity grounds. However, it appears the pursuit of equalization is not fully considering efficiency.
Flight to the Fringes: An Empirical Study of Office Decentralization in Atlanta, Georgia
Authors: Tarpley Jr. Fred A. , Davidson Lawrence S. , Clark David D.
Published: March 2021

In Atlanta, offices are increasingly locating outside of the Central Business District. This evaluation begins with an evaluation of the development and importance of office activities, both generally and in the case of Atlanta. Our study emphasizes the need for additional research on the location of office activities.
Strategy for Public Policy: The Appalachian Regional Experience
Authors: Newman Monroe
Published: March 2021

There are a variety of tools available to the regional development planner. The choice of tool becomes a blend of technical utility and initial political design of the program itself. This paper examines these issues and the different tools available by focusing on the patterns and development of the Appalachian region.
Urban and Regional Economics at Indiana University
Authors: Pfister Richard L.
Published: March 2021

The main features of the program in regional and urban economics at Indiana University are summarized in this paper. This includes both undergraduate programs, graduate programs, as well as how the funding for these programs has been generated.
Quantitative Assessment of the Concentrated Employment Program
Authors: Revzan Lawrence H.
Published: March 2021

This study performs a quantitative evaluation of the first year Concentrated Employment Program. The assessment presented in this paper is designed to satisfy the first evaluation objective by relating the program benefits received by individuals according to their personal characteristics, the different types of services provided, and geographic location of training with the costs assocated with each of these dimensions. Hence, this study deals with both the impact and the underlying social production process to explain the reasons for the wide range of observed results.
Book Reviews
Authors: Slobada Brian
Published: March 2021

“Globalization Under and After Socialism: The Evolution of Transitional Capital in Central and Eastern Europe” is reviewed by Tuyen Pham. Roland Santos reviews “The Sharing Economy: The End of Employment and the”Rise of Crowd-Based Capitalism.” Zachary T. Keeler reviews Advanced Manufacturing: The New American Innovation Policies.” “Broke and Patriotic: Why Poor Americans Love Their Country” is reviewed by Erika Davis.
Regional Level Social Capital and Business Survival Rates
Authors: Conroy Tessa , Deller Steven C.
Published: March 2021

Using two alternative metrics of social capital, we explore how community structure influences the five-year survival rates of businesses started in 2000. Employing a family of spatial estimators to derive a set of global estimates and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR), we find strong evidence that community-level social capital has a positive influence on business survival rates. Results suggest that while social capital is important in understanding business survival rates, relationships vary significantly across space. From, a policy perspective, it would be a mistake to treat social capital as a uniform asset where one approach fits all communities.
Unionization and Convergence in the United States
Authors: Meszaros John
Published: March 2021

Using data on U.S. state-level unionization from Hirsch et al. (2001) and the club convergence test developed by Phillips and Sul (2007, 2009), this paper shows that U.S. states have distinct groupings in terms of the level of unionization. In particular, the states in the American South generally belong to their own low union density groups. Further, states in the Northeast (such as New York) and the Great Lakes regions (Michigan, Ohio) tend to have higher levels of unionization and form their own convergence clubs.
The Impact of Naloxone Access Laws on Opioid Overdose Deaths in the U.S.
Authors: Erfanian Elham , Grossman Daniel , Collins Alan R.
Published: March 2021

Opioid overdoses are the leading cause of unintentional death in the U.S. This research investigates the effects of state-level Naloxone access laws on opioid overdose death rates. Spatial difference-in-differences models reveal that no matter how the access law is measured (either as a binary variable, number of days after the law, or differentiated between access law provisions), the only consistent result is positive indirect effects on overdose death rates. These results indicate that Naloxone access provisions have regional impacts via spillover effects in neighboring states. Looking across multiple provisions, our findings show that, except for third party authorization, there are significant positive effects on overdose death rates. When access laws are evaluated in isolation of any other state level policy response to opioids, increasing access to Naloxone does not reduce overdose death rates, but leads to an overall increase. Thus, the moral hazard problem stemming from this public health policy may be an accurate assessment of the outcome.
Economic Contribution of Ohio’s Wood Industry Cluster: Identifying Opportunities in the Appalachian Region
Authors: Michaud Gilbert , Jolley G Jason
Published: March 2021

Ohio’s wood industry cluster contributes nearly $25 billion and 116,321 jobs to the state’s economy, yet most of this value-added impact occurs outside of the heavily forested Appalachian Ohio region. This research, conducted as part of a Small Business Administration Regional Innovation Cluster grant, includes a multi-industry economic contribution analysis to document wood industry impacts to the entire State of Ohio and the 32-county Appalachian Ohio region. Findings indicated that Appalachian Ohio contained lower paying and lower on the value chain sectors compared to the state. This paper highlights these metrics and presents recommendations to improve investment and value-added industry opportunities in the wood industry cluster to support Appalachian Ohio.
Is There a Regional Bias in the Distribution of Federal Aid to States?
Authors: McKenzie Richard B.
Published: March 2021

This paper looks at the possible regional bias in the distribution of federal aid. Using OLS regression methods, the authors find that there is a bias against the Northeast-Midwest in 1970 that evaporated over the decade. This suggests that some of the concerns of northern states regarding the unequal distribution of aid is not present empirically.
Payments In-Lieu-Of Taxes Between Federal and Local Governments and the Siting of Federally-Owned Waste Isolation Activities
Authors: Bjornstad David J. , Johnson Kim-Elaine
Published: March 2021

This paper considers the costs that accrue to a local economy when a high level nuclear waste isolation facility is site. To accept a nuclear waste site, the community must be compensated in some way. Payments-in-lieu-of-taxes results from the tax exempt nature of the federal facility and are justified on the grounds that the federal government has a responsibility to pay its own way when it acts as a public marketeer. This paper presents an analysis of transfer payment mechanisms that could address these cost issues.
Demographic Aging in the United States: Implications for Population and Income Redistribution in the Year 2000
Authors: Serow William J. , Spar Michael A.
Published: March 2021

This paper analyzes the effects of a prolonged period of sustained low fertility upon shifts in the population distribution of the United States. Migration emerges as the primary agent for internal population redistribution. Results suggest that interregional shifts in employment are an important component to interregional employment related migration.
Market Differentiation and the Adoption of Economic Development Strategies: Explaining Policy Adoption in Metropolitan Areas
Authors: Overton Michael R.
Published: March 2021

Local government competition for private business investment is a central concern in polycentric governance. Previous research argues that competition for business investment is intense and ubiquitous across local governments (Peterson, 1981; Rubin, 1988). However, local government managers adopt policy and economic development strategies in the context of the strategies adopted by neighboring local governments. Do cities, knowing the economic development strategies of their neighboring cities, pursue similar types of businesses? Or do they strategically target different types of businesses to avoid the negative consequences of competition? Hypotheses are tested by applying product differentiation theory to policy adoption in metropolitan areas using spatial regression analysis on a sample of 2,299 cities. Results indicate that cities pursue similar development strategies as neighboring cities, but will implement increasingly differentiated strategies as population heterogeneity and political and bureaucratic incentives increase. Furthermore, this study finds that a city’s reliance on the sales tax and the costs of competing for business location impact the type of development strategy used by a city.
Who Benefits from More Housing? A Panel Data Study on the Role of Housing in the Intermunicipal Migration of Different Age Cohorts in Sweden
Authors: Karpstam Peter
Published: March 2021

Although Swedish housing standards are high and young adults leave the parental home relatively early, there are indications that for certain groups housing has, in recent years, become less accessible. We analyse how housing characteristics affect intermunicipal mobility for different age cohorts and estimate a panel data gravity model that models migration as a function of origin and destination characteristics. The results suggest that new construction in the past two decades has negatively affected migration within commuting regions more than migration between commuting regions. For metropolitan areas, there are considerable negative effects on net migration from other commuter regions because new construction has not kept pace with population growth. The effects are stronger for young adults (20-44) compared to older adults (45-74). Further, we find that, while new construction stimulates mobility for all age cohorts, the estimated relationship is weaker for the youngest adults; indicating a need for more variation in new construction to satisfy different needs. Also, we find that the decreased share of rentals since 1992 have negatively affected the short-distance mobility of the youngest adults while the effect is weaker or even positive for the remaining age cohorts.
Is there a Tradeoff between Remote Living and Healthy Living? The Impact of Remoteness on Body Weight
Authors: Guettabi Mouhcine , Munasib Abdul
Published: March 2021

Using the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79), we examine the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and the remoteness of the county in which the individual lives. Remoteness in this study is identified by calculating the geographical position of the county with respect to metropolitan areas of different sizes (urban hierarchy) of the location. Since BMI affects where an individual chooses to live, there may be endogeneity bias. To address this concern, we identify patterns of mobility in which the choice of location is independent of BMI. In a framework that accounts for unobserved individual-level heterogeneity and sources of endogeneity bias, we show that after controlling for urban sprawl or location density, there is no systematic manner through which remoteness affects body weight.
Book Reviews
Authors: Dunn Leslie , Dunn Robert
Published: March 2021

“Cities and Crisis” is reviewed by Mouhcine Guettabi. “The Metropolitan Revolution: How Cities and Metros are Fixing Our Broken Politics and Fragile Economy” is reviewed by Candon Johnson. “On the Cusp: From Population Boom to Bust” is reviewed by Anudeep Gill. “Currency Politics: The Politcal Economy of Exchange Rate Policy” is reviewed by Shishir Shakya.
Economic Development Incentives, Reported Job Creation, and Local Employment
Authors: Byrne Paul F.
Published: March 2021

State and local policy makers continue to utilize and emphasize economic development incentives to attract and retain employers, with tax increment financing (TIF) being one of the more popular incentives. Recently, several states increased reporting requirements for local economic development agencies in an attempt to ensure that targeted incentives are achieving their stated objectives. However, the economic validity of these reported jobs depends heavily on the extent to which the incentives draw new economic activity into an area. In this paper, I examine the credibility of the number of jobs reported by local economic development agencies in Missouri as having been created or retained by TIF. The analysis studies the impact of these reported jobs on county employment, as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Results suggest that the number of jobs reportedly created by TIF districts do not significantly impact county employment.
Targeted Economic Incentives: An Analysis of State Fiscal Policy and Regulatory Conditions
Authors: Calcagno Peter T. , Hefner Frank L.
Published: March 2021

Economic development incentives by state and local governments have been shown to have little positive economic effect on employment or growth. Using a political economy approach, we investigate the characteristics associated with fiscal conditions and public policies within a state that affect if a state uses targeted economic development incentives. Using data from 1993-2014 from Good Jobs First, we employ a Poisson model to investigate whether states with budget issues, high tax and regulatory burdens, and poorly trained labor are offering targeted incentives to potentially offset costly economic conditions. Our results indicate that unemployment rates, fiscal policy conditions, and individual income tax burden explain the granting of targeted incentives by local governments.
Untargeted Incentives and Entrepreneurship: An Analysis of Local Fiscal Policies and Small Businesses in Florida
Authors: Guo Hai (David) , Cheng Shaoming
Published: March 2021

This paper examines the effects of local taxes and local fiscal expenditures on small businesses in Florida. Our analysis sheds light on the linkage between small business development and local fiscal decisions, which seem to have no obvious or direct connection with targeted business assistance and incentives. Spatial panel regression models are calibrated with county-level tax, expenditure, and social and economic factors for the period of 2008-2013. The estimation results suggest that local tax and expenditure structure and decisions affect the number of small business establishments not only in their “home” counties but also in their neighboring jurisdictions.
Book Reviews
Authors: Dunn Leslie , Dunn Robert
Published: March 2021

“Modeling Cities and Regions as Complex Systems: From Theory to Planning Applications” is reviewed by Kailai Wang. “Taxing the Rich: A History of Fiscal Fairness in the United States and Europe” is reviewed by Paul Walker. ” Jay Herndon reviews two books.
Empirical Assessment of the Smart Specialization Concept on Firm Performance in European Urban and Rural Regions
Authors: Nilsson Pia
Published: March 2021

This paper studies the role played by factors that are considered central to the concept of smart specialization on firm performance in a European context. The focus is on the type of spatial spillovers that occur at the firm level, which are connected to technological relatedness and knowledge externalities. The influence of such externalities is studied using firm-level data on firms located across Europe and unobserved heterogeneity and spatial dependencies are modelled by employing a multilevel model. Diverging patterns across the urban-rural range are studied by applying a regional typology. Findings indicate that measures thought to reflect smart specialization are positively associated with firm performance. It is also found that indicators of smart specialization do not affect firm performance homogenously across the studied regions.
Book Reviews
Authors: Dunn Leslie , Dunn Robert
Published: March 2021

“Zoning Rules! The Economics of Land Use Regulation” is reviewed by Santiago Pinto. “ntra-Industry Trade: Cooperation and Conflict in the Global Political Economy” is reviewed by Douglas Mugabe. “Unequal Gains: American Growth and Inequality since 1700” is reviewed by William Levernier. “Political Economy and Instruments of Environmental Politics” is reviewed by Michael E. Reed.
Regional Inequality and Decentralized Governance: Canada’s Provinces
Authors: Olfert M Rose
Published: March 2021

Regional scientists commonly concern themselves with topics involving regional inequalities—why they occur and persist, how inequality may be reduced or what exacerbates it, and the impact of policy interventions. Regional nequalities fuel our research and its policy relevance. For most of us, these investigations are in the context of exogenously defined “regions,” with political and administrative boundaries originating in a decentralized government context. The regions that are our units of analysis seldom reflect economic realities, yet their boundaries, once drawn, are very persistent and to a large extent determine the degree to which inequalities may be reduced over time, either through private decisions or through government policy. This paper offers a descriptive illustration of fundamental differences among Canada’s provinces as a potential constraint on the possibility of convergence over time, interregional migration responses, and the impacts of an explicit national government equalization.
Local Labor Markets in a New Economic Geography Model
Authors: Loïc Allio Cédric
Published: March 2021

Space economy is determined by the interaction between markets and the mobility of production factors. Capital and labor mobility affects the functioning of the product and labor markets in the regions of origin and destination. This feeds back into the earnings of production factor owners and changes the incentives to move through the modification of demand levels in both regions. In this paper, we build a model with two regions and two production factors, labor and capital, à laTabuchi-Helpman in order to embody both capital and labor mobility in a unique model. Considering the conditions for agglomeration and dispersion to arise, we show that the features of the labor market are a key parameter along with well-known trade costs. The results show that, depending on labor market conditions, the industry and the population display a smooth bell-shaped curve of spatial development. Dispersion prevails when trade costs are either high or low, while agglomeration occurs in between. Market integration and factor mobility exacerbate regional disparities.
Improved Spatially Disaggregated Livestock Measures for Uganda
Authors: Azzarri Carlo , Cross Elizabeth
Published: March 2021

The objective of our study is twofold: on one side, to complement earlier analyses thatestimate the spatial density of livestock holdings using different methods; on the other, to show that by combining different data sources—the 2009/10 Uganda National Panel Survey (UNPS) and the 2008 Uganda National Livestock Census (UNLC)—and applying the Small Area Estimation (SAE) technique, it is possible to provide a finer spatial disaggregation and representation of missing livestock measures in the census. First, we combine our livestock population and density figures with those from the UNLC. Second, we fit an estimation model of livestock income and share on the UNPS to generate an out-of-sample prediction of the missing information in the UNLC, mapping livestock income and share at the local level. Our results suggest that the integrated use of multiple data sources, such as household surveys, censuses, and administrative data, together with spatial analysis techniques, such as SAE, can provide reliable, coherent, and location-specific insights to guide policy and investment. This work shows a useful method that allows for a reliable spatial livestock analysis, whenever sectorial databases offer greater coverage of the population of interest, but more limited information than specialized surveys. This method can be applied in all countries where there is a similar livestock information system, and common support between livestock census and household surveys with detailed agricultural/livestock modules. Cross-validation across data sources provides clearer insights into livestock-related policy and a better springboard for effective poverty-reduction strategies.
Employment Dynamics by Gender in Pennsylvania since the Great Recession
Authors: Sissoko Yaya , Sloboda Brian W.
Published: March 2021

This paper examines the effects of the Great Recession on employment by gender in Pennsylvania. Using the Quarterly Workforce Indicators (QWI) in the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data set from the Census Bureau, we examine the employment dynamics for Pennsylvania by gender from Q1 of 1997 to Q4 of 2013. We investigate the impacts of the Great Recession on male and female employment in the Pennsylvania economy in the manufacturing, construction, health care, and retail sectors by investigating the net job gains by gender using a vector error correction model (VECM).
Book Reviews
Authors: Dunn Leslie , Dunn Robert
Published: March 2021

“Universities, Cities, and Regions: Loci for Knowledge and Innovation Creation” is reviewed by Elvira Uyarra. “Public Sector Entrepreneurship: U.S. Technology and Innovation Policy” is reviewed by Qinling Lu. “State and Local Financial Instruments: Policy Changes and Management” is reviewed by Akheil Singla. “Pathways to Fiscal Reform in the United States” is reviewed by Colin Hodges.
The Influence of Local Social and Industrial Characteristics on Emergent Entrepreneurship
Authors: Saboe Matt , Condliffe Simon
Published: March 2021

We consider the effect of cities on the individual decision to start a firm. Specifically, we consider how several agglomeration theories may encourage individuals to launch a new firm. We contribute to the expanding literature on entrepreneurship by using the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity (KIEA) for 1998-2011 to consider individual startup decisions, while controlling for individual motivations, and to examine the importance of the local industry conditions to new firm launches across several industries. We find that individuals in regions with entrepreneurial social and institutional structures are more likely to launch a new firm, while industry concentration and diversity are only significant in denser locations. The presence of small and new firms in a region creates an environment conducive to entry and is consistent across industries.
A Pedagogical Note on the Interregional Economic Base Model: Canada, 2004
Authors: Schaffer William A. , Josza John
Published: March 2021

Interregional economic-base models are typically presented in the abstract as a prelude to more complex interregional input-output models. The interregional economic-base model presented here reverses the process, deriving its data from a larger interregional input-output model of Canada. It is sufficiently compact to be a useful classroom tool.
Forecasting U.S. State-Level Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Authors: Burnett J. Wesley , Zhao Xueting
Published: March 2021

This study explores the use of spatial models in forecasting U.S. state-level carbon dioxide emissions. We compare forecasts against empirical reality using panel data models with and without spatial effects. Understanding how to predict emissions is important for designing climate change mitigation policies. To determine if spatial econometric models can help us predict emissions, it is important to test these models to see if they are a valid strategy to describe the underlying data, in the context of forecasting. We find that a non-spatial OLS estimator performs best in all out-of-sample forecasts; however, the OLS model is not statistically distinguishable from a spatial panel data model with random effects.
Spillover Effects on Homicides across Mexican Municipalities: A Spatial Regime Model Approach
Authors: Flores Miguel , Rodriguez-Oreggia Eduardo
Published: March 2021

This paper investigates the existence of spatial regimes of high violence levels across Mexican municipalities. Our approach consists of providing a framework to explicitly address spatial heterogeneity, which might suggest instability in the structural determinants of homicides. In this context, a distinction is made in relation to the regimes in municipalities within states with long-standing trafficking activities by comparing those municipalities that have been exposed to joint operations (operativos conjuntos) and those that were not exposed to the operations. Spatial econometric models were estimated for each regime to investigate possible spillover effects arising from the covariates. The results point to differences in regard to the significance, magnitude, and sign of the effects related to some variables according to each spatial regime’s specification. While the direct effects show that socioeconomic variables tend to play an important role in explaining the variation of homicides not in the joint operation regime, the historical level of homicides and closeness to the U.S. border operate in a more significant way for those municipalities in the joint operation regime. In regard to the estimates of indirect effects, a positive and significant spillover effect upon homicide rates is attributed to our law enforcement variable as well as to the proxy variable of informality. These spillover effects are found to be greater in magnitude especially in those municipalities exposed to joint operations.
Regional Economic Output and Public Surface Transportation Infrastructure: A Spatial Granger Approach
Authors: Chen Zhenhua , Haynes Kingsley E.
Published: March 2021

This paper expands upon the classical Granger causality test with spatial dimensions to investigate the causal linkages between regional economic output and surface transportation infrastructure with a focus on the Northeast Corridor in the United States. To improve the validity of estimation, a panel data set of surface transportation infrastructure including highways, public intercity railways, and public transit, which are measured in real monetary value for the period 1991-2009, is adopted. Granger causality tests with integrations of various forms of spatial spillover interactions are analyzed in different spatial vector autoregressive models. The empirical results reveal that the spatial Granger causality test is able to capture a broader geographic scale of causality than the classical approach, but the causality
Computational Issues in the Estima tion of the Spatial Probit Model: A Comparison of Various Estimators
Authors: Billé Anna Gloria
Published: March 2021

In spatial discrete choice models the spatial dependent structure adds complexity in the estimation of parameters. Appropriate general method of moments (GMM) estimation needs inverses of n-by-n matrices and an optimization complexity of the moment conditions for moderate to large samples makes practical applications more difficult. Recently, Klier and McMillen (2008) have proposed a linearized version of the GMM estimator that avoids the infeasible problem of inverting n-by-n matrices when employing large samples. They show that standard GMM reduces to a nonlinear two-stage least squares problem. On the other hand, when we deal with full maximum likelihood (FML) estimation, a multidimensional integration problem arises and a viable computational solution needs to be found. Although it remains somewhat computationally burdensome, since the inverses of matrices dimensioned by the number of observations have to be computed, the ML estimator yields the potential advantage of efficiency. Therefore, through Monte Carlo experiments we compare GMM-based approaches with ML estimation in terms of their computation times and statistical properties. Furthermore, a comparison in terms of the marginal effects also is included. Finally, we recommend an algorithm based on sparse matrices that enables more efficient use of both ML and GMM estimators.
Exploring Patterns in ICT Growth and Development in Africa: A Kohonen Map Analysis
Authors: Soremekun Olumayokun , Malgwi Charles A.
Published: March 2021

This paper explores whether the adoption and use of mobile phones in Africa following the United Nations Millennium Development Goal #8 is seminal relative to other Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). The dataset consists of the number of Internet users, computer users, and mobile subscribers per 100 people. We use Kohonen Self Organizing Maps on a panel of 48 countries organized in four geographic regions and two cohorts over the 2001-2007 period. Results show the existence of a digital divide in Africa overall, with northern and southern countries making significant progress while the western and eastern regions lag behind.
Should Oklahoma Be More Like Texas? A Taxing Decision
Authors: Rickman Dan S.
Published: March 2021

In his Presidential Address, Professor Rickman discusses whether Texas should serve as the economic policy model for Oklahoma, particularly in terms of reducing or eliminating the state income tax. He compares Oklahoma’s recent economic performance to that of Texas and other adjacent states. Comparisons are made at both the state and county levels, for different time periods, and for several economic indicators. County-level regression analysis, of all counties, and separately for only border counties, both explicitly and implicitly controls for potential nonpolicy growth influences. He concludes that there is not sufficient evidence to warrant Oklahoma emulating Texas’ economic policies.
The Responsiveness of Tax Lien Investors in English Auctions to Matching Rules: Evidence from Illinois
Authors: Miller Joshua J. , Nikaj Silda
Published: March 2021

Auctions allowing competitors to match the current high bid are thought to be suboptimal, particularly compared to auctions where new bids must exceed the current high bid (Milgrom, 2004). To date no study has examined, empirically, the effect of allowing matching bids. A recent policy innovation in Illinois provides an opportunity to estimate the effect of matching on winning bids. Using administrative data from five suburban Illinois counties on the auction of 127,073 liens, we find that an English auction design that allows matching is associated with higher winning bids when compared to an English design that does not allow matching. These higher winning bids increase interest fees on tax delinquent property owners by 20 percent. The paper is the first to estimate the cost of matching on auction outcomes.
Economic Growth and Tax and Expenditure Limitations
Authors: Amiel Lindsay N. , Deller Steven , Stallmann Judith I.
Published: March 2021

Using a Barro-type empirical growth framework we explore the relationship between tax and expenditure limitations (TELs) and the economic growth of U.S. states. The model uses a panel of annual data for the 50 states from 1990 to 2010, with a variable parameter specification coupled with a dynamic Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) panel estimator. In general, more restrictive tax and expenditure limitations can influence the growth process; however, this relationship varies over levels of income and type of TEL
Mining and Community Economic Growth
Authors: Deller Steven C. , Schreiber Andrew
Published: March 2021

The rapid expansion of oil and gas extraction in large parts of the Marcellus fields in the Appalachian Basin and the Bakken fields in the Williston Basin of the Dakotas and Montana has reignited debate over the role of natural resource extraction as a rural economic growth strategy. While the popular media has focused on hydraulic fracturing and natural gas and oil production, there has been significant interest in silicon sand mining in western Wisconsin and southeastern Minnesota. This “frack sand” is used in oil and gas hydraulic fracturing activity. In this study we explore the relationship between non-oil and gas mining (NAICS 212) activities and economic growth for nonmetropolitan U.S. counties for the period 2000 to 2007. We find robust results suggesting that non-oil and gas mining is associated with lower population growth, and a positive impact on per capita income, but has no impact on employment growth.
Unconventional Shale Gas Development and Real Estate Valuation Issues
Authors: Lipscomb Clifford A. , Wang Yongsheng , Kilpatrick Sarah J.
Published: March 2021

This article provides an overview of the real estate valuation issues related to unconventional shale gas activities, particularly those related to hydraulic fracturing or “fracking.” With the research on this topic in its infancy, we focus more on the valuation issues that can arise as opposed to those that have arisen. Central to this discussion are the factors associated with fracking activities that could alter the existing risk context of real estate valuation in communities and the role that information plays in developing risk perceptions. As current examples of these issues, we discuss some specific legal and regulatory changes that have arisen in Pennsylvania.
Is There a Central Asia? State Visits and an Empirical Delineation of the Region’s Boundaries
Authors: Zakhirova Leila
Published: March 2021

This article assesses the extent to which post-Soviet Central Asia is emerging as an interactive regional subsystem focused more on problems and actors within the region than on those outside the region. The answer to this question has important implications for policy, because in the presence of a strong subsystem the important sources of change in the region cannot be exclusively domestic in nature. Yet no empirical analysis of the international relations of the Central Asian states in any systematic way exists. In this article, I delineate the regional boundaries of Central Asia using intergovernmental visits data to uncover whether the region serves as an entree point for analysis. I analyze the results of the visits data using three structural models to assess the degree of fit for each. The findings suggest that a highly interactive subsystem does not yet exist; instead a Moscow-centric subsystem of interactions still persists in the region.
Estimating the Impacts of a Reduction in the Foreign-Born Labor Supply on a State Economy: A Nested CGE Analysis of the Idaho Economy
Authors: Watson Philip S. , Castelin Kimberly , Salant Priscilla , Wulfhorst J.D.
Published: March 2021

This analysis examines the effects of reducing the supply of foreign-born labor on the Idaho economy. Estimates of labor usage by industry sector are obtained from governmental and non-governmental data sources and are incorporated into a 14-sector nested computable general equilibrium (CGE) model with five primary factors of production consisting of capital and four different labor groups (foreign-born less educated, native-born less educated, foreign-born more educated, and native-born more educated).

The results of the model indicate that at the expected elasticities of substitution between similarly educated native-born and foreign-born labor, the reduction of the foreign-born less educated labor supply modestly increases the demand for native-born less educated labor while causing reductions in state GDP, total economic output, and household utility. The importance of the elasticities of substitution between the various labor groups in influencing the impact results is discussed and a sensitivity analysis performed. The CGE results are then compared to those of an input-output model: the differences are discussed.
How Do Cities and Counties Respond to Changes in Their Property Tax Base?
Authors: Ihlanfeldt Keith
Published: March 2021

Over the past decade, the per capita property tax bases of local governments have experienced large upward and downward movements as the result of the boom and bust in real estate markets. This paper provides some evidence on how local governments balance their budgets as their tax base changes. The results suggest that millage rates are adjusted in an attempt to stabilize property tax revenues. The millage rate offset is nearly complete for counties, but less than complete for cities. Cities alter selected expenditures to keep total expenditures in line with total revenues.
Regional Science Reconsidered
Authors: Schaefer Peter V. , Jackson Randall W. , Bukenya James O.
Published: March 2021

Because disciplines and their cores and boundaries are subject to change, a periodic introspective assessment can be useful in evaluating the relevance of a changing discipline to the equally dynamic and pressing needs of society. Similar examinations of other disciplines, notably economics, have been conducted in part as a means of minimizing the risks of declining credibility, policy relevance, and societal benefit. With the Southern Regional Science Association celebrating recently its 50th meeting, and as regional science itself approaches its 60th year, this paper provides a reexamination of the core of regional science. We consider the theoretical and methodological underpinnings and current status, the various roles played by space in various representations, and the values that guide our policy advice and recommendations. While cores and boundaries of regional science cannot be unambiguously identified, particularly due to the considerable overlap with and lineage to other disciplines, we conclude that it is precisely the interdisciplinarity of regional science that distinguishes it from other social sciences, and ensures its continued relevance.
Local Economic Impact of the Great Recession of 2008/2009
Authors: Connaughton John E.
Published: March 2021

This paper is based on the Presidential Address at the 2010 SRSA Conference.
Forecasting Industry Employment for a Resource - based Economy Using Bayesian Vector Autoregressive Models
Authors: Seung Chang K. , Ahn Sung K.
Published: March 2021

Bayesian vector autoregressive (BVAR) models are developed to forecast industry employment for a resource-based economy. Two different types of input-output (I-O) information are used as priors: (i) a reduced-form I-O relationship and (ii) an economic-base version of the I-O information. Out-of-sample forecasts from these two I-O-based BVAR models are compared with forecasts from an autoregressive model, an unconstrained VAR model, and a BVAR model with a Minnesota prior. Results indicate most importantly that overall the model version with economic base information performs the best in the long run.
Imperfection as the Norm
Authors: Schaeffer Peter V.
Published: March 2021

Although we generally teach economics as if markets formed a perfect system, in reality, there are many instances of partial and complete market failure in the real economy. Imperfections complicate models and analyses. Therefore, it is better to first introduce students to the model of the ideal-typical perfect system. In addition, in many circumstances, equilibrium and partial equilibrium models derived from the ideal-typical system have yielded good insights and results. However, ignoring imperfections carries several costs, including neglect of the role of institutions, and probably too much confidence in the self-correcting power of markets by policy makers.
Co-operatives and Rural Community Population Growth: Evidence from Canada
Authors: Kangayi Chipo , Olfert M. Rose , Partridge Mark
Published: March 2021

The social economy holds promise for rural community development through local capacity building, improving political engagement, expanding networks, and increasing productivity by reducing transactions costs. In this study, the contribution of co-op membership to rural community population growth is estimated, along with standard growth determinants. With minor exceptions, the results do not support the expectation that co-ops improve the population growth prospects of rural communities. Currency (or obsolescence) of this particular type of social capital may be a factor. Alternatively, social capital in the form of co-ops may be serving as a substitute for private sector enterprise or other forms of social capital.