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Regional Economics

Selected Works

Economic development - Tax and other business incentives

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Articles 1 - 18 of 18

Full-Text Articles in Economics

Benefits Vs. Costs Of Business Incentives, Timothy J. Bartik Dec 2015

Benefits Vs. Costs Of Business Incentives, Timothy J. Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.


Discussion [Of The Effects Of State And Local Public Services On Economic Development By Ronald C. Fisher], Timothy Bartik Jan 2015

Discussion [Of The Effects Of State And Local Public Services On Economic Development By Ronald C. Fisher], Timothy Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.


Federal Policy Towards State And Local Economic Development In The 1990s, Timothy J. Bartik Jan 2015

Federal Policy Towards State And Local Economic Development In The 1990s, Timothy J. Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

This paper suggests new federal policies towards state and local economic development assistance to business. I argue that there is some evidence that these programs can be effective in encouraging business growth and helping the unemployed. But state and local governments do not have the right incentives to adequately pursue national goals through economic development programs. State and local governments are not inclined to do quality evaluations of their programs and tend to favor business attraction programs over programs that might increase U.S. business productivity. In addition, it is unclear whether economic development efforts are most vigorously pursued by economically …


Economic Development Incentive Wars, Timothy J. Bartik Jan 2015

Economic Development Incentive Wars, Timothy J. Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.


Economic Development Strategies, Timothy J. Bartik Jan 2015

Economic Development Strategies, Timothy J. Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

This paper provides a guide to economic development policies for local government managers. Local economic development policies today include not only tax subsidies for branch plants, but also job training to provide workers to businesses, advice and support services for potential entrepreneurs, and extension services to help businesses modernize and export. To help local government managers, this paper suggests a number of guiding principles, including: local economic development should be pursued cooperatively across the local labor market; economic development programs should consider the quality of jobs created; tax subsidies are expensive per job created; development subsidies are more effective if …


Thoughts On American Manufacturing Decline And Revitalization, Timothy J. Bartik Jan 2015

Thoughts On American Manufacturing Decline And Revitalization, Timothy J. Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.


Saturn And State Economic Development, Timothy J. Bartik, Charles Becker, Steve Lake, John Bush Jan 2015

Saturn And State Economic Development, Timothy J. Bartik, Charles Becker, Steve Lake, John Bush

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.


Incentive Solutions, Timothy J. Bartik Jan 2015

Incentive Solutions, Timothy J. Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

This paper reviews the research literature relevant to economic development incentives provided by state and local governments, and recommends reforms in these incentives. I argue that the main problem with current incentive policies is that state and local governments often provide incentives that are not in the best interest of that state or local area, for example that are excessively costly per job created, or that provide jobs that do not improve the job opportunities of local residents. I suggest that reforms should be "bottom-up" rather than "top-down." Regulation of incentives by the federal government, or by international trade treaties, …


Jobs, Productivity, And Local Economic Development: What Implications Does Economic Research Have For The Role Of Government?, Timothy Bartik Jan 2015

Jobs, Productivity, And Local Economic Development: What Implications Does Economic Research Have For The Role Of Government?, Timothy Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.


What Should Michigan Be Doing To Promote Long-Run Economic Development?, Timothy J. Bartik Jan 2015

What Should Michigan Be Doing To Promote Long-Run Economic Development?, Timothy J. Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

This paper argues that Michigan can take cost-effective actions to significantly improve the primary state economic development goal: higher per capita income of Michigan's residents. Higher per capita income of Michigan's residents can be achieved through state policy actions that use cost-effective means to either lower the marginal costs of businesses that expand in the state, or boost the skills of state residents. In this paper, I offer eight ideas for how to lower marginal business costs and boost skills. Four of these ideas focus on lowering marginal business costs. Four other ideas focus on boosting skills. For each of …


Local Economic Development Policies, Timothy J. Bartik Jan 2015

Local Economic Development Policies, Timothy J. Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

This chapter seeks to provide useful advice for local government policy towards economic development programs. The chapter: reviews the size and scope of local economic development programs in the United States; critically analyzes the various rationales offered for these programs; makes recommendations for what local policy should do about business attraction and incentives, business retention, new business development, high technology development, brownfield development, distressed neighborhoods, and downtowns; and discusses how local economic development programs should be organized, managed, and evaluated.


Eight Issues For Policy Toward Economic Development Incentives, Timothy Bartik Jan 2015

Eight Issues For Policy Toward Economic Development Incentives, Timothy Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.


The Employment And Fiscal Effects Of Michigan's Mega Tax Credit Program, Timothy J. Bartik, George A. Erickcek Jan 2015

The Employment And Fiscal Effects Of Michigan's Mega Tax Credit Program, Timothy J. Bartik, George A. Erickcek

Timothy J. Bartik

This paper estimates that Michigan's MEGA tax credit program to attract and retain businesses has large employment and fiscal benefits. MEGA provides discretionary tax credits to businesses, with the tax credit tied to the personal income taxes paid by employees on the new or retained jobs. We estimate the economic effects of MEGA using the Upjohn Institute's REMI model, and the research literature on how business location decisions respond to taxes. We estimate the fiscal effects of MEGA based on the research literature on how government spending and revenue respond to state personal income and population. The estimates suggest a …


The Impact Of Marginal Business Taxes On State Manufacturing, Richard Funderburg, Timothy Bartik, Alan Peters, Peter Fisher Jan 2015

The Impact Of Marginal Business Taxes On State Manufacturing, Richard Funderburg, Timothy Bartik, Alan Peters, Peter Fisher

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.


The Effects Of State And Local Taxes On Economic Development: A Review Of Recent Research, Timothy Bartik Jan 2015

The Effects Of State And Local Taxes On Economic Development: A Review Of Recent Research, Timothy Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.


Simulating The Effects Of Michigan's Mega Tax Credit Program On Job Creation And Fiscal Benefits, Timothy J. Bartik, George A. Erickcek Jan 2015

Simulating The Effects Of Michigan's Mega Tax Credit Program On Job Creation And Fiscal Benefits, Timothy J. Bartik, George A. Erickcek

Timothy J. Bartik

This paper simulates job and fiscal impacts of Michigan’s MEGA tax credit program for job creation. Under plausible assumptions about how such credits affect business location decisions, the net costs per job created of the MEGA program are simulated to be of modest size. The job creation impacts of MEGA are simulated to be considerably larger than devoting similar dollar resources to general business tax cuts. The simulation methodology developed here is applicable to incentives in other states.


Simulating The Effects Of The Tax Credit Program Of The Michigan Economic Growth Authority On Job Creation And Fiscal Benefits, Timothy Bartik, George Erickcek Jan 2015

Simulating The Effects Of The Tax Credit Program Of The Michigan Economic Growth Authority On Job Creation And Fiscal Benefits, Timothy Bartik, George Erickcek

Timothy J. Bartik

No abstract provided.


Who Benefits From State And Local Economic Development Policies?, Timothy Bartik Dec 1990

Who Benefits From State And Local Economic Development Policies?, Timothy Bartik

Timothy J. Bartik

Bartik reviews evidence on whether state and local policies affect job growth. He then presents empirical data supporting the intentions of such programs, showing that job growth may lead to a number of positive long-term effects including: lower unemployment, higher labor force participation, higher real estate values, and better occupational opportunities. He also shows that the earnings gains to disadvantaged groups outweigh the resulting increased real estate values for property owners, and concludes by saying that regional competition for jobs may actually be a benefit for the nation as a whole.