Six researchers will study some of today’s most pressing tax and land policy issues — from the economic effects of property tax limitations like Proposition 13 in California to the potential for land value capture in China — through the Lincoln Institute’s C. Lowell Harriss Dissertation Fellowship.
The fellowship, named in honor of the Columbia University economist (1912-2009) who served for decades on the Institute’s board of directors, supports work on doctoral dissertations. The program provides a link between the Lincoln Institute's educational mission and its research objectives by supporting scholars early in their careers. The recipients and their topics follow:
- Tina Beale of the University of Reading will investigate the causes of low property tax compliance in Jamaica by focusing on institutional factors in the tax system and land markets.
- Peter Jones of the University of California, Berkeley, will explore why loss aversion plays an integral role in homeowners’ decisions to appeal the assessed value of their property.
- Patrick Kilfoil of McGill University will analyze the diffusion and implementation of innovation districts.
- Jingran Sun of the University of North Texas will assess the impact of property tax exemptions on revenue volatility, property tax reliance, and expenditure choices.
- Francis Wong of the University of California, Berkeley, will examine the effects of state property tax limitations on employment, business activity, and housing markets in California, Massachusetts, Oregon, New Hampshire, and Michigan.
- Tianren Yang of the University of Cambridge will draw lessons from the greater Shanghai region to develop a new model for land value capture in planned new urban centers.
The fellowship will culminate in a seminar, where fellows present their research and share feedback with other fellows and Lincoln Institute scholars. Applications for the next cycle are due February 1, 2019.