Local Deficits and Local Jobs: Can U.S. States Stabilize Their Own Economies?

Gerald Carlino and Robert P. Inman

No 18930, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Using a sample of the 48 mainland U.S. states for the period 1973-2009, we study the ability of U.S. states to expand own state employment through the use of state deficit policies. The analysis allows for the facts that U.S. states are part of a wider monetary and economic union with free factor mobility across all states and that state residents and firms may purchase goods from "neighboring" states. Those purchases may generate economic spillovers across neighbors. Estimates suggest that states can increase own state employment by increasing their own deficits. There is evidence of spillovers to employment in neighboring states defined by common cyclical patterns among state economies. For large states, aggregate spillovers to its economic neighbors are approximately two-thirds of own state job growth. Because of significant spillovers and possible incentives to free-ride, there is a potential case to actively coordinate (i.e., centralize) the management of stabilization policies. Finally, job effects of a temporary increase in state own deficits persist for at most one to two years and there is evidence of negative job effects when these deficits are scheduled for repayment.

JEL-codes: E62 H74 H77 R23 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013-03
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-geo, nep-lab and nep-mac
Note: EFG PE POL
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Published as Carlino, Gerald A. & Inman, Robert P., 2013. "Local deficits and local jobs: Can US states stabilize their own economies?," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(5), pages 517-530.

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Journal Article: Local deficits and local jobs: Can US states stabilize their own economies? (2013)
Working Paper: Local deficits and local jobs: can U.S. statess stabilize their own economies? (2013)
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