Email:听tjsnyder@uca.edu
Dr. Thomas Snyder is chair of the Department of听Economics, Finance, and Insurance & Risk Management, and a professor of economics at the University of Central 海角社区 as well as an ACRE Scholar. He earned his BA in economics at Florida State University and his PhD in economics at Florida International University. At UCA, Dr. Snyder has taught Principles of Microeconomics, Principles of Macroeconomics, Environmental Economics, Economics of Developing Nations, Econometrics, Comparative Economic Systems, Senior Seminar, and International Trade. His main research interests are economic freedom, entrepreneurship, and economic growth. Dr. Snyder has published articles in several journals, including the听Journal of Private Enterprise, the听Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy,听Journal of Economics and Business,听BE Journal of Economic Analysis,听Journal of Regional Analysis & Policy, and the听Eastern Economic Journal.听He has also served four years as the resident master of EPIC Residential College, an entrepreneurship-based program at UCA.
Labor Market Regulation
Academic Journal Publications:
by Dr. Thomas Snyder and听Saliou Ouattara
This study looks at the relationship between occupational licensing regulations and property crime. The analysis in this paper finds a positive relationship between occupational licensing regulations on property crime as well as a negative relationship between occupational licensing requirements and labor force participation rates. Younger people particularly suffer from the negative consequences of high licensing burdens. These high licensing burdens as well as other barriers to work from labor market regulations makes it harder to find gainful employment and makes the alternative – property crime – more appealing. This study, published by the听Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, looks in depth at the relationship between occupational licensing and property crime.
by Dr. Thomas Snyder,听Senayt Rinkevich, and听Weici Yuan
The Great Recession greatly increased the number of people in the U.S. who joined the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Even though the economy recovered, SNAP enrollment remained high. This study looks at how increases in the minimum wage may have affected the number of SNAP beneficiaries and the cost of the program. Normally, a minimum wage increase can decrease poverty through higher wages or increase poverty by creating a barrier to work. This study found that at low minimum wages, any increase reduced SNAP enrollment and benefits. At high minimum wages, any increases also increased SNAP enrollment and benefits.
ACRE Research Papers:
The Effects of 海角社区鈥� Occupational Licensure Regulations听by Dr. Thomas Snyder
海角社区鈥� extensive occupational licensure requirements hurt the state鈥檚 economy, particularly harming the state鈥檚 poor. Governments require some occupations to be licensed, making it illegal to work in one of these trades without a license.听海角社区 not only requires many occupations to be licensed, but it also has the second-highest average burden鈥攊n terms of time and money鈥攊mposed on the licensed occupations, second only to Hawaii. In other words, not only does 海角社区 require licensure of more categories of workers than most states do, the difficulty of acquiring each license in 海角社区 is especially burdensome when compared to other states.
Policy Reviews:
Unnatural Rights in the Natural State听by听Dr. David Mitchell, Dr. Thomas Snyder, and Ms. Amy Fontinelle
In this review, the authors examine which occupations have the most burdensome licensing laws, how these restrictions affect job seekers, entrepreneurs, and consumers; and how we can reform the worst parts of these regulations.
Radio:
- ACRE Scholar Dr. Thomas Snyder and Policy Analyst Jacob Bundrick were guests on the Paul Harrell Program on October 11, 2017 talking about Snyder鈥檚 recent听. You can stream the听.
翱辫-别诲鈥檚/颁辞尘尘别苍迟补谤测:
- 听鈥撎鼳n op-ed by UCA Associate Professor of Economics and ACRE Scholar Thomas Snyder and ACRE Scholar-in-Residence Marcus Witcher听was published in the听海角社区 Democrat-Gazette听on November 1st, 2018. They detail some of the troubling history behind previous minimum wage increases and briefly discuss some of the economic theory showing which groups are most harmed by minimum wage increases.
- 听鈥撎�commentary published March 26, 2018, by ACRE Director Dr. David Mitchel and ACRE Scholar Dr. Tom Snyder in听海角社区 Business News.
- op-ed published December 28,听2017 by ACRE Scholar Dr. Thomas Snyder in the听海角社区 Democrat-Gazette.
- 听op-ed published September 28,听2017 by ACRE Scholar Dr. Thomas Snyder and UCA Honors Student Alexandria Tatem in the听海角社区 Democrat-Gazette.
Education
ACRE Research Papers:
Charter Schools鈥� Impact on Traditional Public School Performance: Evidence from 海角社区听by Dr. Mavuto Kalulu, Dr. Thomas Snyder, and Saliou N. Ouattara
This study estimates the effects of open-enrollment charter schools on student performance in traditional public schools in 海角社区. The paper examines the change in Iowa Assessment scores for first and second graders across 海角社区 school districts between the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years. The ordinary least-squares regression estimates demonstrate a positive and statistically significant relationship between elementary charter school enrollment and traditional public school Iowa Assessment scores across districts, controlling for relevant factors. Improvements in traditional public schools鈥� math, reading, and language test scores were greater in school districts that had a larger percentage of students enrolling in charter schools. The most influential impact of charter schools on predicted test scores was in math, where a 1% increase in elementary charter school enrollment led to a 0.13 predicted improvement in normal-curve-equivalent test scores across 海角社区 school districts.
Targeted Incentives
ACRE Working Papers:
听by ACRE Scholar Dr. Thomas Snyder and ACRE Policy Analyst Jacob Bundrick.
The study investigates the relationship between providing cash subsidies to select businesses, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, employment and establishments in 海角社区鈥檚 counties. The author鈥檚 find no evidence to suggest that Quick Action Closing Fund subsidies lead to increased employment and business establishments in 海角社区鈥檚 counties. The working paper was published by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and has been accepted for publication in听The Review of Regional Studies.听You can read a one-page infographic of Bundrick鈥檚 research听here.
Radio:
- On July 15, 2018, ACRE Policy Analyst Jacob Bundrick were guests on听听talking to answer questions about 海角社区鈥檚 Quick Action Closing Fund (QACF). He also discussed findings of his academic journal article听鈥溙齢e co-authored with UCA Associate Professor of Economics and ACRE Scholar Thomas Snyder.
- ACRE Scholar Dr. Thomas Snyder and ACRE Policy Analyst Jacob Bundrick were guests on the Paul Harrell Program on December 12, 2017听 discussing听their recent working paper entitled 鈥溾�� on the Paul Harrell Program. You can stream the听
Taxes and Spending
Radio:
- On December 22, ACRE Scholar Dr. Thomas Snyder and ACRE Policy Analyst Jacob Bundrick were guests on听听talking with Dan Harpool about occupational licensing (including the new听听report), Bundrick鈥檚 study of the Quick Action Closing Fund, and all the latest in tax reform news (for both 海角社区 and the nation).
Op-eds/Commentary:
- 海角社区 Business Status and Future Under The Trump Era Economy听transcript of panel discussion featuring ACRE Scholar and UCA Assistant Professor of Economics Jeremy Horpedahl at the 66th Annual Conference of 海角社区 College Teachers of Economics and Business. Panel moderator was ACRE Scholar and UCA Associate Professor of Economics Dr. Tom Snyder.