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Courtney A. Collins

Courtney A. Collins is an assistant professor of economics at Rhodes College and author of a recent working paper published by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University on "Reading, Writing, and Regulations: A Survey of the Expanding Federal Role in Elementary and Secondary Education Policy."

Publications & Appearances

How Do Federal Regulations Affect Consumer Prices? An Analysis of the Regressive Effects of Regulation

Regulators and policymakers often claim that regulations are intended to protect the poorest and most vulnerable consumers. However, the effects of regulations are most harmful to the poor because regulations drive up the cost of doing business, resulting in higher prices. Unfortunately, the goods and services to which the poor devote much of their limited budgets, such as energy and food, are also the most heavily regulated.

Reading, Writing, and Regulations: A Survey of the Expanding Federal Role in Elementary and Secondary Education Policy

Since its inception, the education system in the United States has been structured in a very decentralized way. The federal government has historically played a limited role in public schools, leaving the majority of decisions to be made at the state and local level. The extent of federal involvement began to widen, however, in 1965 with the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

Analyzing Electoral Timing and Outcomes Through Georgia's Special Purpose Local Option Sales Taxes

A large body of literature has attempted to understand how the timing of popular referenda may impact the electoral outcomes that emerge. This current work adds to that literature by exploring the adoption of both educational and special purpose local option sales taxes(known as (E)SPLOSTs) by counties within the state of Georgia between 1985 and 2009.