Political Science

Education

• Ph.D., University of Illinois at Chicago, 2015
• MBA, Illinois Institute of Technology, 2011
• MPA, Columbia University, 2008
• BA, Renmin University of China, 2006
• Curriculum Vitae [PDF]

Interests and Expertise

• American federalism
• State-local relations
• Local financial management

Courses

Winter 2024

• PLSC 202, online
• PLSC 270, online

Selected Publications and Presentations

• “Perceptions of local government fiscal health and fiscal stress: Evidence from quantile regressions with Michigan municipalities and counties.” 2021. (With Stephanie Leiser). State and Local Government Review, forthcoming.
• “Politics or professionalism to the rescue? The Friedrich-Finer Debate in the context of state intervention in Michigan.” 2019. (With Andrew Crosby) Public Administration Quarterly 43(4), 555-583.
• “Economic resilience after the Great Recession: An examination of unreserved fund balance in Michigan counties.” 2019. (With Eric Scorsone) Local Government Studies 46 (5), 716-733.
• “Relative tax rates, proximity and cigarette tax noncompliance: Evidence from a national sample of littered cigarette packs.” 2019. (With David Merriman and Frank Chaloupka) Public Finance Review 47 (2): 276-311.
• “Use of special taxing districts by municipal governments in the Chicago metropolitan area: Is Leviathan tamed?” 2018. (With Rebecca Hendrick). Public Budgeting and Finance 38(3):32-57.
• “Effects of state-imposed tax and expenditure limits on municipal revenue structure: A legal approach.” 2018. Publius: The Journal of Federalism 48(2): 292-316.