Research

Ongoing Funded Projects

"Fines, Fees and Economic Wellbeing: How Drivers’ License Suspension Effects the Financial Outcomes of Households and Potential Policy Alternatives", Arnold Ventures

Published Peer Review

Competition or Cooperation? The Case of Revenue from Traffic Citations with Akheil Singla. 2025. Public Budgeting and Finance. doi: 10.1111/pbaf.12399.

Policing, Technology and Public Values: A Public Administration Research Agenda, with Mary Feeney. 2024. Perspectives on Public Management and Governance 8(1), 12-26.

Impact of Anti-Foreign Stamp Duty on Local Housing Market in New South Wales, with Anthony Howell and Akheil Singla. 2024. Journal of Economic Geography 24(4), 495-509.

Coverage: AusTaxPolicy Blog

Can Local Government Mergers Reduce Costs When Capital Expenditures Are Low? Evidence from Court Mergers, with Dallin Overstreet. 2023. Urban Affairs Review 60(3), 892–922

The Impact of Government Form on Resource Allocation in Local Government, with Dallin Overstreet. 2023. Public Budgeting and Finance 43(2): 3-26

"Does Revenue-Motivated Policing Alter Who Receives Traffic  Citations?  Evidence from Driver Race and Income in Indiana" with Akheil Singla. 2023. Public Administration Review 83(2), 353-366. 

Coverage: London School of Economics USAPP Blog, The Conversation

"Build it and They Will Come: Cultural  Consumption Amenities and Student Demand for Higher Education” with Jessica Sherrod Hale and Joanna Woronkowicz. 2021. Research in Higher Education 63(1), 60-91. 

Coverage: Arts Research Quarterly , Arts Journal

"The Effects of the COVID-19 Crisis on the City of Phoenix’s Budget and Creditworthiness" with Akheil Singla and Anthony Howell. 2021. Municipal Finance Journal.

“Escaping the Long Arm of the Law: Explaining Racial Differences in Recidivism on Offense Probabilities.” with Joanna Carroll. 2021. Southern Economic Journal 87(4), 1366-1389.

Media coverage: The Conversation, Next City, Fines and Fees Justice Center

"Municipal Reliance on Fine and Fee Revenues: How Local Courts Contribute to Extractive Revenue Practices in U.S. Cities". 2020. Public Budgeting & Finance. 

Award: 2022 Jesse Burkhead Award for best article in Public Budgeting & Finance

Media coverage: Fines and Fees Justice Center

"Race, Representation and Asset Forfeiture." with Sean Nicholson-Crotty, Jill Nicholson-Crotty and Danyo Li. 2020. International Journal of Public Management 24(1), 47-66. 

"When Law Enforcement Pays: Costs and Benefits for Elected Versus Appointed Administrators Engaged in Asset Forfeiture." with Sean Nicholson-Crotty, and Danyao Li. 2019. American Review of Public Administration 50(3), 297-314.

"When do Municipal Consolidations Reduce Government Expenditures? Evidence on the Role of Local Buy-In." 2019. Public Administration Review 79(2): 180-192.

"Estimating the Manufacturing Employment Impact of Eliminating the Tangible Personal Property Tax: Evidence from Ohio." with Geoffrey Propheter. 2017. Economic Development Quarterly 41(4): 299-311. 

"The Effect of Fiscal Illusion on Public Revenue: Evidence from Local Government Property Assessment." with Justin Ross. 2016. Public Finance Review 46(4): 635-664."

Under Review

Do Voters Moderate the Relationship Between Taxing Authority and Government Growth? Evidence from Externally Imposed Changes in Home Rule Status with Huiyuan Wu  (Revise and Resubmit, Public Administration Review).

Medical Marijuana Dispensaries, Crime and Policing: Police Response to the Sale of Marijuana  (Revise and Resubmit, Annals of Regional Science).

The Revenue Effects of Selective Housing Market Taxes: Evidence from Australia with Akheil Singla and Anthony Howell (Under Review).

Working Papers

Economic Effects of Changes in Mobility: Evidence from Drivers License Suspensions, with Justin Ross and Susan Miller

Works in Progress

"Crowd-Out or Crowd-In? Evidence of the Fly Paper Effect of Federal Reinvestment and Recovery Act Education Grants on State and Local Government Spending"

Coercive Taxes or Coercive Justice Fees? An Empirical Test of the Ferguson-TEL Hypothesis with Justin Ross.