These international visitors to campus enrich the academic life of the school in many ways. The Program in Public Finance and Governance has focused on tax policy and expenditure analysis, including econometric modeling and simulation analysis of the impact of policy changes on revenue flows, the distribution of tax burdens, and fiscal disparities. Recent externally funded projects have included comprehensive tax studies for the states of Ohio and Georgia, and the telecommunications tax study for the state of Utah. This program is also home to the Georgia Fiscal Research Program that supports the state government in its work on the design and evaluation of economic policy. Research Atlanta Inc. is a privately funded research center whose goal is to inform and stimulate debate and action on important public policy issues facing metropolitan Atlanta.
Funding comes mainly from the corporate sector.
Research Atlanta publicizes and disseminates its work through an aggressive outreach program and its findings are regularly reported in the local and national press. The Urban Study Institute was established to provide high quality research on state policy issues that affect urban areas in Georgia. Funding comes from local governments in the Atlanta area and the Board of Directors includes the chief executives. The Institute also provides short-term research on urban issues to members of the Georgia General Assembly.