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Recent Scientific Accomplishments Gordon’s research interests are in state and local public finance, political economy, and urban economics. She recently joined the University of Maryland from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), where she published reports and journal articles on state and local budgeting, the local initiative process, property taxes, and so-called “private governments” or homeowner associations that perform municipal functions. Her recent review of fiscal institutions and their effectiveness appears in Fiscal Challenges: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Budget Policy, edited by Elizabeth Garrett, Elizabeth Graddy and Howell E. Jackson (Cambridge University Press, 2008). Gordon was principal investigator on Fiscal Realities: Budget Tradeoffs in California Government, a report published in 2007 by the Public Policy Institute of California with support from the James Irvine Foundation. The report examined California’s revenues and spending in each major budget category, tracked how much was explained by demographics and costs versus policy choices, and simulated the effects of alternative budget tradeoffs suggested by public opinion. Gordon is pursuing a research agenda on state budget institutions and processes. In a working paper (with Jaime Calleja Alderete and Jon Sonstelie), she examines the effects of TELs on spending on K-12 education and other budget categories when there is an school enrollment shock, or an increase in the price of a constant-quality education. Gordon is also interested in the policy consequences of local income inequality. She is extending previous work on private governments to address this question while also looking into other potential responses such as changes in the level and quality of local public services. | ||||||||
Maryland Population Research Center
0124N Cole Student Activities Building (#162)
College Park, MD 20742
Phone: 301-405-6403
Fax: 301-405-5743