The previous literature on vertical equity in property assessment has focused on parcel-level data within a single area and has produced mixed conclusions on whether the process is progressive or regressive. This paper advances the discussion to identifying what differences between jurisdictions...

The conventional view of fiscal zoning is that communities make land use accommodations only for nuisance entities that generate sufficient net fiscal benefits. State reforms that redistribute property tax revenues have been accused of undermining these decisions ex-post. This paper tests this...

In recent years, many developing countries have sought to implement more decentralized governmental systems. Despite efforts toward fiscal federalism, assessment of decentralization activity has been hampered by lack of consistent cross-country measures of effectiveness. Since governments play a...

This paper examines the relationship between environmental regulations and the location decisions of hazardous waste management firms. This industry provides a powerful test of the effect of state environmental regulations on location because environmentl regulations significantly affect the...

Many non-native weed pests of food, fiber, and nursery crops pose threats to the U.S. environment and agriculture. We focus on regulations controlling the spread of noxious weeds, and especially the determinants of regulatory differences across U.S. states. With a simple game-theoretic...

Water quality regulation continues to be controversial, as demonstrated by recent litigation between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state of Florida over nutrient standards. While the costs of standards are usually known, benefits may be diverse and difficult to identify. This...

Although there is evidence that people are aware of local ozone levels and may adjust their day-to-day routines when ozone levels change, little is known about the relationship between local ozone levels and the timing of residential moves. Results from a discrete-time hazard model suggest that...

Duty-orientation implies a warm glow of giving as well as a cold shiver of not giving enough. If duty-oriented consumers learn their moral responsibility by observing others’ behavior, social interaction in contribution behavior arises. However, since moral responsibility is a burden,...

Virtually all U.S. states have now created voluntary cleanup programs (VCPs), offering liability relief and other incentives for responsible parties to remediate contaminated sites. We use a multinomial probit model to analyze participation in Oregon’s two VCPs. In contrast to previous VCP...

U.S. and E.U. environmental policy employ criminal sanctions to enforce compliance. Recent moves toward revising their use are based on little empirical evidence as to their effectiveness. This paper exploits a unique dataset to study the deterrent effect of criminal enforcement. The dynamic...