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Business Incentives and Employment: What Incentives Work and Where?

Author

Listed:
  • William Hoyt

    (Martin School of Public Policy and Administration and Department of Economics, University of Kentucky)

  • Christopher Jepsen

    (Department of Economics, University of Kentucky)

  • Kenneth Troske

    (Department of Economics, University of Kentucky)

Abstract

State governments offer tax and location-based incentives to entice firms to locate or expand operations in their state. We evaluate the effect of these incentives on employment using a panel data of Kentucky counties. These data are unique because they contain information on actual incentives received rather than on incentives offered, an important distinction because the majority of incentives offered are never claimed. Because Kentucky offers incentive plans similar to other states, the results are applicable to other states. Training incentives have a strong, positive effect on economic activity, whereas tax incentives have a more modest positive effect. These effects differ with the location of the county, with almost no impact in interior counties and much larger, positive and significant impacts in counties along state borders. There are few if any spillover effects to adjacent counties.

Suggested Citation

  • William Hoyt & Christopher Jepsen & Kenneth Troske, 2009. "Business Incentives and Employment: What Incentives Work and Where?," Working Papers 2009-02, University of Kentucky, Institute for Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations.
    • Handle: RePEc:ifr:wpaper:2009-02
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Timothy J. Bartik & George A. Erickcek, 2012. "Simulating the Effects of Michigan's MEGA Tax Credit Program on Job Creation and Fiscal Benefits," Upjohn Working Papers 12-185, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
    4. Jacob Bundrick & Weici Yuan, 2019. "Do Targeted Business Subsidies Improve Income and Reduce Poverty? A Synthetic Control Approach," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 33(4), pages 351-375, November.
    5. Timothy J. Bartik, 2009. "The Revitalization of Older Industrial Cities: A Review Essay of Retooling for Growth," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(1), pages 1-29, March.
    6. Timothy J. Bartik & George Erickcek, 2014. "Simulating the Effects of the Tax Credit Program of the Michigan Economic Growth Authority on Job Creation and Fiscal Benefits," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 28(4), pages 314-327, November.
    7. Timothy J. Bartik, 2012. "The Future of State and Local Economic Development Policy: What Research Is Needed," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(4), pages 545-562, December.
    8. Jeffrey Thompson, 2010. "Prioritizing Approaches to Economic Development in New England: Skills, Infrastructure, and Tax Incentives," Published Studies priorities_september7_per, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
    9. Timothy J. Bartik & Kevin Hollenbeck, 2012. "An Analysis of the Employment Effects of the Washington High Technology Business and Occupation (B&O) Tax Credit," Upjohn Working Papers 12-187, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.

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