Patterns of economic growth in rural Appalachia are examined with a focus on natural and built amenities. While the literature is clear that rural areas endowed with scenic beauty, lakes, forests, and wildlife, among other natural amenities, and coupled with built amenities such as golf courses,...

In this note we use a variable parameter model to test for asymmetries in the treatment of intergovernmental aid. The central question is whether local government officials treat intergovernmental aid differently during periods of aid certainty and uncertainty. We find evidence of fiscal...

The impact of state tax and expenditure limitations (TELs) on bond credit ratings is estimated using an incomplete (or unbalanced) panel from the US states from 1973 to 2005. Three indices of the restrictiveness of TELs are used. Both Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s bond credit...

Blanchflower and Oswald argue that the wage curve is a predictable empirical relationship with the “unemployment elasticity of pay” of about −0.1. Using GWR I find evidence of significant spatial heterogeneity in the unemployment elasticity of pay for US counties.

Building on central place theory, we offer a series of simple location models for US credit unions. Credit unions are historically viewed as a community-based strategy designed to fill voids in spatial financial markets. Unlike banks and more traditional retail financial institutions, our...