Susan G. Mason

The impact of telecommuting on personal vehicle usage and environmental sustainability

To understand whether telecommuting could be part of the policy solutions for greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction in the transportation sector, this study uses instrumental variable Tobit models and data from 2001 and 2009 National Household Travel Surveys to explore whether telecommuting reduces or increases the daily work and non-work vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Our findings suggest telecommuters have more VMT for both daily work and non-work trips than non-telecommuters. Adding the findings that telecommuting has no impact on other non-working household member’s daily total (non-work) trips, we can possibly argue that households with telecommuter(s) tend to have higher daily total VMT. Our estimated marginal effect of telecommuting on worker’s daily total trips indicates that a telecommuter on average travels 38 vehicle miles more on a daily basis in 2001 and 45 vehicle miles more in 2009 compared with a non-telecommuter. These increases in VMT translate into a rather large increase in GHG emissions in the US equivalent to adding 7,248,845 cars in 2001 and 8,808,165 in 2009 to the road. Moreover, the difference of this marginal effect between 2001 and 2009 suggests the impact of telecommuting on worker’s daily total VMT had increased over time. With the emerging work arrangements to work from home, telecommuting has been welcomed in this changing environment, not only by individual workers and employers but also policymakers. But the outcomes seem to be opposite to what policy makers may have expected for GHG emission reductions.

Tax Increment Financing in Missouri: An Analysis of Determinants, Competitive Dynamics, Equity, and Path Dependency

Tax increment financing (TIF) has been a popular and controversial economic development tool for several decades. This research considers the determinants of competitive dynamics, equity, and path dependency on TIF use. The authors use logistic and ordinary least squares regressions on the approval, number, and value of TIFs in Missouri to flesh out the competitive dynamics, effects on intermunicipal inequality, and path dependency of TIF use. They find that there are competitive dynamics that affect TIF use: Being adjacent to another city that uses TIF increases the likelihood that a city will approve a TIF. The study finds evidence that TIF adoption patterns contribute to intermunicipal inequality, and it provides some support for the importance of path dependency in TIF use.

Primary Factors Influencing Green Building in Cities in the Pacific Northwest

This article provides empirical evidence that the factors of context and social climate are the most influential for achieving green building. Using both chi-squared analysis and factor analysis findings indicate that providing the context and social climate which can reduce transaction costs influence green building. Specifically, through policies and guidelines, having the local expertise and support to make the outcomes occur are all important factors. Additionally, central cities were much more likely to engage in green building than suburban or non-metropolitan areas. This has implications for matters of collective action.

Predictors of cycling in college students

Abstract Objectives: To (1) assess cycling-related questions that have been added to the electronic version of the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment II (ACHA-NCHA), (2) examine cycling prevalence, and (3) identify predictors of cycling in college students. Participants: Predominately female (69%), undergraduate (89%), and white (85%) students (N = 949) from a large, urban, northwestern, bicycle-friendly university completed the electronic version of the ACHA-NCHA II. Methods: Thirty cycling-related questions were added to the ACHA-NCHA II and a subsample of questions was analyzed. Results: Cycling questions added to the ACHA-NCHA II scale were reliable and valid, based on the psychometric data analysis. More than half (59%) of this sample cycled; of those, 58% cycled for transportation and 44% for recreation. Facilitators and barriers to cycling were different for cycling in general and cycling for transportation. Conclusions: Cycling questions added to the ACHA-NCHA II can be utilized to enhance knowledge relative to cycling on college campuses.

Retail gravitation and economic impact: A market-driven analytical framework for bike-share station location analysis in the United States

ABSTRACT Bike-share programs are becoming a more frequent and popular amenity for cities around the world. Current analytical models for optimizing the placement and location of bike-share stations seem underdeveloped and potentially subject to false calibration errors. This research builds on retail gravitation models and their derivates to develop a duplicable model for bike-share location in cities in the United States. The findings suggest retail gravitation theory is helpful to bike-share station location analysis. Additionally, the findings set a framework for other cities to use as well as identify future research.

Regional Cooperation in Employment and Training Policy: A Matter of Collective Action or Intergovernmental Relations?

This article provides empirical evidence that factors derived from the collective action theories resonated with employment and training policy implementers as the most influential for achieving regional cooperation for community development. Findings indicate that having specific reasons and the opportunity to benefit from collaborating does more to advance cooperation than competing for scarce resources. Permitting Workforce Investment Boards self-governing authority and providing an opportunity for mutual gains are promising means for gaining substantive cooperation both within and across workforce investment areas in U.S. employment and training policy.

Client-Oriented Projects: GIS Course Design with the Potential to Serve Multiple Constituents

Abstract Project-based learning geared toward a client provides the instructor with an applied method for classroom teaching. This article provides detailed information on how to incorporate project-based assignments into public administration courses. Student evaluations indicate that students perceive their learning to be more effective when it is project-based and client- or real-world oriented. This article looks at the integration of project-based assignments to coursework even when there is no identified “real” client.

Regional Climate Planning and Local Outcomes in California

In this chapter, we investigate the impact of California’s landmark regional climate planning law Senate Bill (SB) 375 on local climate change planning and policy-making. SB 375 is intended to provide the framework to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as mandated by Assembly Bill 32 by coordinating land use and transportation at the regional level through a “Sustainable Communities Strategy” or SCS. Notably, SB 375 does not carry a mandate for local jurisdictions to develop consistent strategies with the SCS. We find that, in general, mid-size to larger cities are coordinating their policies more than smaller cities. Ultimately, this may negate the negative aspect of the free-rider problem on regional outcomes. However, it still may be too early to tell the ultimate impact of SCS on local initiatives.

Regional Industry Analysis: An Approach for Large and Smaller Economies:

Some challenges communities of all sizes face in identifying the strengths and weaknesses in their regional economy include access to the data and the complexity of the models available to evaluate their regional economies. This research proposes a holistic and accessible method of industry analysis and applies it to the Boise–Nampa Metropolitan Statistical Area. By combining a quantitative quadrant method with a qualitative analyses based on focus groups and interviews, our synergistic approach not only more accurately identifies industry clusters than any isolated approaches but also more concretely examines the multidimensional links between industries and their ties. This methodology is applicable to virtually any size community to learn about its economic strengths and weaknesses and make decisions on where to target its resources for the benefit of the community.

Decision Making at the State and Local Level: Does Science Matter?

Science is believed to be an important part of public policy decision making because of its inherent characteristics of measurability, rigor, objectivity, replication, and peer review. The purpose of this research was to explore the linkage of science to public policy decision making. The research explores what state and local public officials know about science and how much they actually use science in their decision making. Interview results with public officials in the State of Idaho demonstrate that policy makers ultimately see science as only one element in the mix. Findings suggest that equal attention and debate should be given to how science interacts with all of the other factors that affect the public policy making process.