Source: MICHIGAN STATE UNIV submitted to NRP
RESILIENCE TO FISCAL, ECONOMIC, DISASTER AND PUBLIC HEALTH SHOCKS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1014885
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Feb 1, 2018
Project End Date
Jan 31, 2023
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
MICHIGAN STATE UNIV
(N/A)
EAST LANSING,MI 48824
Performing Department
Agricultural, Food, & Resource Economics
Non Technical Summary
The United States economy is in the midst of major economic and fiscal changes. As a consequence many communities across the country are experience economic and fiscal challenges that may increase vulnerability and reduce resilience to further economic, fiscal, natural disaster and health shocks. The overall objective of this project is to conduct research that will: 1) Measure local economic distress; 2) identify places that are more and less resilient (identify outliers) and identify lesson learned from places that perform unexpectedly well; 3) conduct examinations of different aspects of state and local government fiscal health; 4) conduct research on natural disaster resilience, and human health/wellbeing.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
100%
Developmental
0%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
6036050301050%
6056199209050%
Knowledge Area
605 - Natural Resource and Environmental Economics; 603 - Market Economics;

Subject Of Investigation
6199 - Economy, general/other; 6050 - Communities, areas, and regions;

Field Of Science
2090 - Statistics, econometrics, and biometrics; 3010 - Economics;
Goals / Objectives
The financial crisis that began in 2007-2008 resulted fiscal, economic and human stress on many households and communities throughout the country. The gradual changes occurring in the global financial system are also expected result in new stressors over time. All of these forces could potentially reduce resilience and the ability of households and communities to the manage shocks that can and do occur. For example, Monnat (2016) argues that the opioid crisis is most severe in places that were once prosperous but are now in decline. Similarly, overall health appears to be in decline. One measure is the recent decline in average lifespans, particularly among low-educated whites.[1] Just recently the United States has suffered from the onslaught of two major hurricanes; the degree to which households and communities are able to protect themselves and recover depends largely on wealth, human capital, and overall wellbeing. Along these lines, government services such as public safety also play a role in preserving life[2], and yet many communities struggle to fund such services. Further, communities that struggle with eroding economies and tax bases are in a weaker position when it comes to negotiating with businesses regarding tax breaks and subsidies, and are thus more vulnerable to yielding negative net returns for the community on such arrangements.The overall objective of this project is to assess changing household, community, and local government resilience and vulnerability, and identify approaches to increase resilience, reduce vulnerability, and improve overall quality of life in the midst of major structural changes to the U.S. and global economies. The thrust of my proposed set of activities fit within the USDA strategic goal 1: Assist rural communities to create prosperity so they are self-sustaining, repopulating, and economically thriving.[1] See Sasson (2016).[2] See Lim, et al. (2016).
Project Methods
The procedures used to evaluate specific research questions depend on the nature of the question at hand. I may rely on local/regional, state, and international economic and government data to or survey data examine specific issues. Variation over time and across jurisdiction can provide an excellent evaluative environment. I plan to blend sound economic theory with appropriate econometric analysis to shed light on important issues. Generally, the approach is as follows: -identify key research question -conduct literature review -develop theoretical framework (formal or informal)-identify appropriate data source from which specific hypotheses can be tested (survey, sample, etc...)-conduct empirical analysis using appropriate econometric techniquesArticulating specific procedures to be used in addressing these questions is quite difficult because each issue requires specific planning and thought. One must consider the nature of the research question, theoretical considerations, as well as practical issues such as data availability. In short, this is a creative process and one that requires some flexibility. Generally, the goal of the proposed program is to generate quality analyses that will help government decision makers better understand how to respond in the midst of evolving conditions.

Progress 10/01/20 to 09/30/21

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences include citizens, researchers, and educators as well as practitioners and government employees. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Two graduate students are working with me where they are expanding their skills as economists and data analysts. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?I have presented my work primarily in webinars. Opportunities for in-person presentations have been limited by Covid restrictions. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the coming year I will submit for publications: 1) two papers on the Detroit property market; 2) two papers on the impacts of wldfire and extreme heat hazards; 3) a paper on opioid crisis impacts; 4) and two papers on the covid crisis. I will also share this work in venues such as symposia and conferences, and where appropriate local audiences.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? I published tworefereed articles. I also submitted a book I am editing (Handbook on the Economics of Disasters) to Elgar, which will become part of the prestigious Handbook of Economics series. I also authored three chapters in the book. In addition, I have a forthcoming paper, two papers with requests for revisions, and five submitted papers.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Sun, Q., Mann, J., and Skidmore, M. 2022. The Impacts of Flooding and Business Activity and Employment: A Spatial Perspective on Small Business, forthcoming in Water and Economic Policy.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Knowles, S., and Skidmore, M. 2021. Cloud Seeding and Crops Yields: Evaluation of the North Dakota Cloud Modification Project, Weather, Climate, and Society. 885-898.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Skidmore, M. 2021. Special Issue: Urban Economics, Journal of Urban Affairs. 617.


Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences included researchers and educators as well as practitioners and government employees. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?I worked with two graduate students, both of whom expanded their analytical and presentation skills. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been shared in written form, on websites, and through in-person trainings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?I will continue work on local government fiscal challenges (with a particular focus on property taxation in Detroit), economics of natural disasters. I also have some work in the behavioral heatlh/substance abuse arenal. I have also agreed to edit the book "Handbook on the Economics of Natural Disasters.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? I published 10 refereed journal articles. I also led an effort to develop and deliver a training on working with farmers experiencing stress for the American Farm Bureau, National Farmers Union and the Farm Credit Coutncil. I also gave a presentation about transparency in federal government financials at the Southern Economic Association.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Lim, J., and Skidmore, M. 2020. Natural Disasters and their Impact on Cities, (with Jungmin Lim), Oxford Bibliographies in Urban Studies. Ed. Richardson Dilworth. New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2020 Citation: Wang, J., Wu, Q., Wang, S., and Skidmore, M. 2020 The Impact of Business Tax to Value-added Tax Reform on the Land Finance Revenue: Empirical Evidence from Eastern China (with Jian Wang, Qun Wu, and Shu Wang), Journal of Urban Affairs. 15 (3), 29-4.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Connor, T., Reese, L., and Skidmore, M. 2020. The Ruralization of Detroit: Implications for Economic Redevelopment Policy." Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management Journal (TERUM).
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Lim, Jungmin, and Skidmore, M. 2020. Heat Vulnerability and Heat Island Mitigation in the United States, Atmosphere 11, 558 doi:10.3390/atmos11060558, 2020.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Green, B., Jones, K., Lyerla, R., Skidmore, M., Dyar, W. 2020. Stigma and Behavioral Health Literacy among Individuals with Proximity to Mental Health or Substance Use Conditions, Journal of Mental Health, DOI: 10.1080/09638237.2020.1713998.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Dobis, E., Stephens, H., Skidmore, M., and Goetz, S. 2020. Explaining the Spatial Variation in American Life Expectancy, Social Science and Medicine, 246: doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112759, 2020.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Alvayay, C., Paredes, D., and Skidmore, M. 2020 Housing Demolition and Property Tax Delinquency: Evidence from Detroit,", Journal of Urban Affairs, DOI:10.1080/07352166.2019.1697183.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Boudreaux, C., Escaleras, M., and Skidmore, M. 2019. Natural Disasters and Entrepreneurship Activity. Economics Letters, 182: 82-85, 2019.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Cuthbertson, C., Brennan, A., Shutske, J., Bjornestad, A., Dellifield, J., Leatherman, J., Shelle, G., Macy, K., Schallhorn, P., Zierl, L., Lin, E., and Skidmore, M. 2020 Developing and Implementing Farm Stress Training to Address Agricultural Producer Mental Health, Health Promotion and Practice.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Shupp, R., Loveridge, S., Skidmore, M. Green, B. Albrecht, D. 2020 Recognition and Stigma: Prescription Drug Abuse Disorders and Personal and Community Determinants, BMC Public Health.


Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences include Extension personnel, researchers, and local, state, and federal policy makers. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?I have and will present this research at conferences and as a seminar guest and Florida Atlantic University. Teh farm stress traiing was delivered to more than 500 Farm Service Personnel. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?I am working on research related to heatwave vulnerability, exposure to wildfire, determinants of life expectancy, housing demolition policy, economic development policy, and literacy around substance misuse.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? During this period I published three articles in refereeed journals. Two of those articles addressed natural disaster vulnerability and/or impacts, and one article examined how local government respond to long-run population decline. I also produced a working paper on the growth of manufactured home living across the country, which is one way households have addressed housing affordability issues. Finally, I helped to develop and deliver a training for USDA Farm Service Agency personnel that is designed to help them more effectively interact with farmers and ranchers experiencing significant financial and emotional stress.

Publications

  • Type: Books Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Skidmore, M. and Lim, J. 2019. "Natural Disasters and their Impact on Cities. In Oxford Bibliographies in Urban Studies. Ed. Richardson Dilworth. New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Das, B. and Skidmore, M. 2018. Asymmetry in Municipal Government Responses in Growing vs. Shrinking Counties with Focus on Capital Spending, Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, 48(4): 62-75.


Progress 02/01/18 to 09/30/18

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences include Extension personnel, researchers, and local, state, and federal policy makers. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?I conducted an exensive literature review on the opioid use/misuse...education, intervention, and treatment. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The opioid work has been made available at the Opioid Response website https://opioidresponse.extension.org/. As noted above I have shared my results via media outlets and professional journals. I have also given several presentations. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?I plan to publish three additional papers on topics related to local government public finance. I have two projects related to natural disaster impacts and resilience, and one report on the "economics of weather modification." I also have two paper on behavioral health issues, one paper on the determinants of life expectancy in the US, and a paper on the growoth in manufactured home living. I also have a new grant to develop curriculum and provide training to USDA Farm Services Agency personnel who are helping distressed farmer manage anxiety related to the challenging farm economy.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? During this period, I published three refereed journal articles and have one forthcoming article. In addition, I have three paper in the revise and resubmit status. The refereed articles I published address resilience to natural disasters. The other papers that in revision focus on local government public finance...address different aspects of fiscal stress. I also published an artical in Rural Connections on the role manafactured housing has played in meeting rural housing needs. Finally, I published an important article in Forbes magazine on federal government financial reporting issues. In terms of service/outreach, I have been helping lead the national Extension Opioid Crisis Response Workgroup. In early 2018, the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) established a workgroup to help coordinate the Land Grant University system response to the opioid crisis. I have been serving as Workgroup Coordinator. Our final report was submitted to ECOP on October 1. Other related resources are available at the new Opioid Response website https://opioidresponse.extension.org/. Along these lines, I have two papers under review on behavioral health knowledge, one of which focuses on prescription drug misuse. I also continue my work on the property tax environment, focusing now on dilapidated housing and property tax delinquecy. I have two working papers in this area.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Kang, S., and Skidmore, M. 2018. The Effects of Natural Disasters on Social Trust: Evidence from South Korea. Sustainability. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/9/2973
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Toya, H., and Skidmore, M. 2018. Cellular Telephones and Natural Disaster Vulnerability. Sustainability. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/9/2970
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Lim, J., and Skidmore, M. 2018. Flood Fatalities in the United States: The Roles of Economic Status, Housing, and the National Flood Insurance Program. Forthcoming in Southern Economic Journal.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Kotlikoff, L., and Skidmore, M. 2018. Is Our Government Intentionally Hiding $21 Trillion in Spending? Forbes Magazine.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Lim, Jungmin, and Skidmore, M. 2018. The Role of Manufactured Homes in Meeting Rural Housing Needs. Rural Connections, Spring/Summer.