Title
Place-Based Consequences of Person-Based Transfers: Evidence from Recessions
Upjohn Author ORCID Identifier
Publication Date
6-21-2023
Source
Journal of Public Economics 224: 104923
Abstract
This paper studies how government transfers respond to changes in local economic activity that emerge during recessions. Local labor markets that experience greater employment losses during recessions face persistent relative decreases in per capita earnings. However, these areas also experience persistent increases in per capita transfers, which offset 16 percent of the earnings loss on average. The increase in transfers is driven by unemployment insurance in the short run, and medical, retirement, and disability transfers in the long run. Our results show that nominally place-neutral transfer programs redistribute considerable sums of money to places with depressed economic conditions.
DOI
10.1016/j.jpubeco.2023.104923
Publisher
Elsevier-ScienceDirect
Note
Upjohn project #35305
Sponsorship
We gratefully acknowledge funding from the 2018–2019 DOL Scholars Program (Contract # DOL-OPS-15-C-0060).
Subject Areas
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT; Local labor markets; Urban issues; UNEMPLOYMENT, DISABILITY, and INCOME SUPPORT PROGRAMS; Poverty and income support; Income support programs
Citation
Hershbein, Brad and Bryan A. Stuart. 2023. "Place-Based Consequences of Person-Based Transfers: Evidence from Recessions." Journal of Public Economics 224: 104923. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2023.104923