RESEARCH INTERESTS

State and Local Government Finance, Behavioral Effects of Taxation, Distributional Effects of Tax Policy, Welfare Policy, Land Use Economics

RESEARCH IN PROGRESS 

Academic Research

"Impacts of Property Tax Limitations on Education Spending," with B. Hill

"To What Extent Are Progressive Tax Systems Redistributive?"

"Are Realized Gains in Property Values Limited by Property Tax Assessment Caps?"

"Applying a Hybrid Incentive-Based Instrument in a Nonpoint Source Pollution Setting"

Center for Business and Economic Research

"Economic Impacts of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, on the State of Tennessee: Academic Year 2006-2007," with B. Fox, M. Murray, and B. Neilson

"Economic Effects of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Athletic Department," with B. Fox, M. Murray, and B. Neilson

"Tennessee Business and Economic Outlook: Spring 2008," with M. Murray

"Business Attitudes Towards Education in Tennessee," with M. Murray

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATION

"Quantifying and Comparing the Value of Non-Timber Forest Products in the Amazon," with Jill L. Caviglia-Harris, Ecological Economics 58(2): 249-267 (June 2006)

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Academic Publications 

"Impacts of Property Tax Limitations on Education Spending," with Brian Hill, Proceedings of the 100th Annual Conference on Taxation, National Tax Assocation (forthcoming)

Center for Business and Economic Research Publications and Contract Reports

"Child Care Usage and Needs Among Current and Recent Families First Participants," with D. Bruce, V. Cunningham, B. Kiser, J. Marshall, Z. Richards, and A. Thacker, Prepared for the Tennessee Department of Human Services, Nashville TN (forthcoming)

"Strategies for Wage Advancement Among Families First Participants," with D. Bruce and B. Kiser, Prepared for the Tennessee Department of Human Services, Nashville, TN (forthcoming)

"Education Crossroads: Opportunity for You, Me, Tennessee, and Society," with M. Murray et al., Prepared for the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Nashville, TN (December 2007)

"Shifting Fortunes: The Long-Term Picture of Income Distribution in the U.S.," with M. Murray et al., An Economic Report to the Governor of the State of Tennessee, Knoxville TN (January 2007)

"Outsourcing in State and Local Governments: A Literature Review and a Report on Best Practices," with L. Luna, J. Marshall, B. Howard, and L. Barnette, Prepared for the Nashville-Davidson County Metropolitan Government Offices of Metropolitan Social Services, Nashville TN (September 2006)

"Non-Parent Caretakers of Child-Only Families First Cases: Evidence from Tennessee and Davidson County," with D. Bruce, A. Thacker, and L. Ullrich, Prepared for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County Metropolitan Social Services, Nashville, TN (May 2006)

PRESENTATIONS

"Are Realized Gains in Property Values Limited by Property Tax Assessment Caps?" University of Tennessee Economics Brown Bag Research Workshop, Knoxville, TN (February 2008)

"Impacts of Property Tax Limitations on Education Spending," National Tax Association's 100th Annual Conference on Taxation, Columbus, OH (November 2007)

"Applying a Hybrid Incentive-Based Instrument in a Nonpoint Source Pollution Setting," University of Tennessee Economics Brown Bag Research Workshop, Knoxville, TN (September 2007)

"Non-Parent Caretakers of Child-Only Families First Cases: Evidence from Tennessee and Davidson County," National Workforce Association and National Association of County Human Services Administrators Conference, St. Petersburg, FL (December 2006)

"To What Extent Are Progressive Tax Systems Redistributive?" University of Tennessee Economics Brown Bag Research Workshop, Knoxville, TN (November 2006)

"Understanding the Needs of Kinship Caregivers: Evidence from Caretakers of Child-Only TANF Cases," National Association for Welfare Research and Statistics, Jackson Hole, WY (August 2006)

"Quantifying and Comparing the Value of Non-Timber Forest Products in the Amazon," University of Tennessee Economics Brown Bag Research Workshop, Knoxville, TN (September 2004)

"The Costs and Benefits of Sustainable Agriculture in the Tropics," Camp Resources XII, Wilmington, NC (August 2004)

"Modeling the Agricultural Sector of Maryland’s Eastern Shore," Center for Applied Mathematical Studies, Salisbury, MD (April 2003)

"The Poverty Thresholds and Household Members," National Conference for Undergraduate Research, Salt Lake City, UT (March 2003)

"A Neutral Stance on Monetary Policy," College Fed Challenge Competition (First Place Team), Federal Reserve Bank, Baltimore, MD (November 2002)