Research
Publications
Spreen, T. L., Wang, Z., & Yang, L. K. (2025). Industrial automation and local public goods. Journal of Public Economics, 247, 105394.
Midgette, G. M., Spreen, T. L., Porter, L. C., Reuter, P., Hitchens, B. K. (2024). A model to assess the feasibility of 911 call diversion programs. Justice Quarterly, 41(5), 619-646.
Gupta, A. & Spreen, T. L. (2024). Do tax credits benefit charities? Evidence from two states. Contemporary Economic Policy, 42(1), 94-109.
Spreen, T. L. & Keddington, C. (2023). Temporary property tax relief and residential home sales. National Tax Journal, 76(3), 593-620.
Singla, A., Spreen, T. L., & Shumberger, J. (2023). Decree or democracy? State takeovers and local government financial outcomes. Public Administration Review, 83(4), 911-929.
Spreen, T. L. & Martínez Guzmán, J. P. (2022). Information sharing and state revenue forecasting performance. Public Budgeting & Finance, 42(2), 54-73.
Sun, Q. & Spreen, T. L. (2022). State regulation and hospital community benefit spending in Medicaid expansion states. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 47(4), 473-496.
Wang, Z., Spreen, T. L., & Yang, L. K. (2022). A replication of “Trade shocks and the provision of local public goods” (American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 2017). Public Finance Review, 50(3), 336-376.
Spreen, T. L. & Gerrish, E. (2022). Taxes and tax-exempt bonds: A literature review. Journal of Economic Surveys, 36(4), 767-808
Homonoff, T., Spreen, T. L., & St.Clair, T. (2020). Balance sheet insolvency and contribution revenue in public charities. Journal of Public Economics, 186, 104177. Also circulated as NBER Working Paper No. 26546.
Spreen, T. L., Afonso, W. B., & Gerrish, E. (2020). Can employee training influence local fiscal outcomes? American Review of Public Administration, 50(4-5), 401-414.
Spreen, T. L., House, L. A., & Gao, Z. (2020). The impact of varying financial incentives on data quality in web panel surveys. Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology, 8(5), 832-850.
Spreen, T. L. (2018). The effect of flat tax rates on taxable income: Evidence from the Illinois rate increase. National Tax Journal, 71(2), 231-262.
Gerrish, E. & Spreen, T. L. (2017). Does benchmarking encourage improvement or convergence? Evaluating North Carolina’s fiscal benchmarking tool. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 27(4), 596-614.
Spreen, T. L. & Cheek, C. M. (2016). Does monitoring local government fiscal conditions affect outcomes? Evidence from Michigan. Public Finance Review, 44(6), 722-745.
Spreen, T. L. (2013). Recent college graduates in the U.S. labor force: data from the Current Population Survey. Monthly Labor Review, 136(2), 3-13.
Working Papers
“Cost of Living Adjustments and Public Workforce Turnover” with John Stavick and Denvil Duncan.
“Does Centralization Matter? The Equity and Cost Implications of State Property Tax Assessment” with Geoffrey Propheter.
“Income Taxation and Occupational Choice” with Brad Heim.
"The Flypaper Effect: A Meta-Analysis” with Ed Gerrish, Luis Navarro, and Hao Sun.
"Strategic Investment of Public Funds: State Responses to Federal R&D Grants" with Aichiro Suryo Prabowo.
Reports and Reviews
Midgette, G. M., Spreen, T. L., Reuter, P. (2024). Improving Baltimore police relations with the city’s black community: Alternate response to non-criminal emergency calls for service. Abell Foundation.
Singla, A., Spreen, T. L., & Shumberger, J. (2023). State-appointed managers are no better than local officials at resolving local government financial crises. American Politics and Policy Blog. Phelan United States Centre, London School of Economics and Political Science.
Spreen, T. L., Palmer, J. L., & Johnson, C. L. (2015). The opportunities and challenges of benchmarking Indiana’s local governments. Indianapolis, IN: Indiana University Public Policy Institute.
Spreen, T. L. (2011). A commentary on socioeconomic data. Review of Interpreting Economic and Social Data: A Foundation of Descriptive Statistics, by O. W. Winkler. Monthly Labor Review, 134(8), 36-37.
Spreen, T. L. (2010). Ranks of those unemployed for a year or longer up sharply. Issues in Labor Statistics, October 2010. Washington, DC: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.