Research Interests | Publications | Education

Research Interests

Congressional Lawmaking, Congressional Appropriations, Urban Politics, Local Finance, Federalism, Empirical Research Methodology

Publications

"Minding Your Neighborhood: The Spatial Context of Local Redistribution" Forthcoming: Social Science Quarterly: Sept 2009

Abstract: Objectives. Previous research on local redistribution has not accounted for spatial context. I develop a model of local own-source redistributive spending that accounts for the economic characteristics and policy decisions of geographic neighbors. Methods. I estimate a modified spatial 2-SLS equation of own-source redistributive spending that appropriately accounts for endogeneity between neighboring policy decisions and own policy decisions. The dataset spans the 48 contiguous states and utilizes data from the 2000 Census and the 1997 Census of Governments—Finance among other sources. Results. I find that neighboring policy choices and economic characteristics are significantly related to own-source HCD spending decisions. Conclusions. The nuances of geographic context are a critical determinant of local redistributive spending decisions.

Education

Ph.d. University of Colorado, Political Science, Expected May 2011
Fields of Interest: American Politics, Urban Politics, Empirical Methodology

M.A. University of Colorado, Political Science, May 2008
Master's Thesis: Minding Your Neighborhood: The Spatial Context of Local Redistribution
Committee: Dr. Susan Clarke, Dr. Kenneth Bickers, Dr. John P. McIver

B.A. Skidmore College, Government, May 2004
Undergraduate Thesis: Welfare Reform in Three Southern States