Wichita State University
Kansas Public Finance Center Spring Conference Agenda
Join us!
From insightful discussions on the impact of federal policies on state and local governments to cutting-edge explorations of AI and machine learning in financial management, the conference promises a rich exchange of ideas. Engage with expert panelists, attend thought-provoking sessions, and network with fellow professionals dedicated to developing and implementing public strategies that promote economic vitality in Kansas.
Contact
Dr. David Guo
Regents Distinguished Professor of Public Finance, Director, Kansas Public Finance
Center, Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs Wichita State University
Spring Public Finance Conference: Bridging Theory and Practice
May 1-2, 2025 | Wichita State University
Join us for the Spring Public Finance Conference on May 1-2, 2025, at Wichita State University, where thought leaders and innovators will converge to explore the dynamic intersection of theory and practice in public finance.
Agenda
Thursday, May 1, 2025 | Rhatigan Student Center (3rd Floor)
Luncheon & Round Table Discussion | 12:00pm - 1:15pm
Joint Lunch with KS GFOA, Spring Symposium (RSC Beggs Ball Room)
Round Table Discussion - "Navigating Federal Uncertainty: Implications for State and Local Governments"
Moderator: Lunda Asmani, GFOA President Elect, Chief Financial Officer, Norwark Public Schools, CPFO
Panelists:
- Jarron Brady, Policy Analyst, GFOA Federal Liaison Center
- William Glasgall, Public Finance Advisor, Volcker Alliance
- Elizabeth Goltry, Budget Officer, City of Wichita
- Gary Hamer, Director of Strategic Planning, Partner Tulsa
- Scott Pattison, Director of Tax Research and Policy, Federation of Tax Administrators
- Lindsay Poe Rousseau, Chief Financial Officer, Sedgwick County
Local Government Revenue | 1:30pm - 2:30 pm
"Portfolio Theory and Municipal Revenue: Service Structures and Risk Asymmetry"
Presenters:
- Nathan Grasse, Carleton University
- Wesley Janson, Internal Revenue Service
- Justin Marlowe, University of Chicago
- Elizabeth Searing, University of Texas-Dallas
"Local Income Taxes and Intrastate Migration: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from Indiana and Maryland"
Presenter: Andrey Yushkov, Tax Foundation
Discussant: Ken Kriz University of Illinois, Springfield
Experiments in Public Finance | 2:45pm - 3:45pm
"How Popular Financial Reporting Affects the Recipients’ Information Processing and Perceptions: Lab Experimental Evidence"
Presenters:
- Jinhai Yu, University of Connecticut
- Zhiwei Zhang, Kansas State University
- Josie Schafer, University of Nebraska Omaha
- Nicolai Petrovsky, City University of Hong Kong
- Shannon Cummins, University of Nebraska Omaha
"How Much Is Too Much? Examining Whether the Size of the Deficit or Surplus Changes Budget Simulation Outcomes and Perceptions of the Organization"
Presenters:
- Zachary Mohr, University of Kansas
- Whitney Afonso, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Discussant: Justin Ross, Indiana University
Social Equity in Public Budgeting and Financial Management | 4:00pm - 5:00pm
"Applying Social Equity to Public Financial Management: Status and Opportunities"
Presenters:
- John Bartle, University of Nebraska, Omaha
- Phil Joyce, University of Maryland
- Marilyn Rubin, Rutgers University -- Newark
"Advancing Social Equity in Public Budgeting and Tax Policy: Strategies for Inclusive Governance and Sustainable Development"
Presenter: Abigail Animah Amankwah, University of New Mexico
Discussant: Sharon Kioko, University of Washinton
Welcome Reception | 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Reception in the RSC Beggs Ballroom
Friday, May 2, 2025 | NetApp Innovation Campus - Torn Label Conference Room
Welcome | 8:30am
Welcome remarks by Dr. Stephanie Newbold, Director of the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs
AI and Machine Learning in Public Financial Management | 8:45am - 10:15am
"TaMPERing Generative AI: a Framework for the Systematic and Responsible Use of Large Language Models"
Presenter: Michael Overton, University of Idaho
"The Impact and Integration of Artificial Intelligence in Public Financial Management: A Case Study of the State of New Mexico"
Presenter: Ferdinand Forkuo Kwarteng, University of New Mexico
"Can Machine Learning Algorithms Better Help Predict Fiscal Stress in Local Governments?"
Presenters:
- Can Chen, Georgia State University
- Yilun Zha, Georgia Institute of Technology
- Chaowang Ren, Georgia State University
- Yuxiang Zhao, Georgia Institute of Technology
Discussant: Christine Martell, University of Colorado, Denver
Development and Fiscal Health | 10:30am - 12:00pm
"Benefit or Burden: Evaluating $1 Trillion in State Tax Expenditures"
Presenters:
- Matt Fabian, Municipal Market Analytics
- Lisa Washburn, Municipal Market Analytics
"Evaluating the EITC's Role in Urban Fiscal Health Amidst Varied Trajectories of Decline"
Presenters:
- Sarah E. Larson, Miami University of Ohio
- Lindsey Interlante, Five College of Ohio
"Locally Funded Economic Development Corporations (EDC), Economic Growth and the Great Recession: Application of Generalized Additive Models, Synthetic Control Method, and Synthetic Difference in Differences"
Presenters:
- Robert Lee Bland, University of North Texas
- Edmund Poku Adu, University of North Texas
Discussant: Bart Hildreth
Lunch and NetApp Tour | 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Join us for lunch and a fascinating tour of the NetApp Campus at Wichita State University.
Fiscal Federalism and Intergovernmental Fiscal Relationship | 1:30pm - 3:15pm
"State Revenue Trend"
Presenter: *Scott Pattison, Federation of Tax Administrators
"Resilient State and Local Finance: Effective Fiscal Federalism"
Presenters:
- William Glasgall, Volcker Alliance
- Noah-Winn-Ritzenberg, Volcker Alliance
"State Management of Federal Funds: Challenges and Opportunities"
Presenters:
- Maureen Hilton, Pew Charitable Trusts
- Rebecca Thiess, Pew Charitable Trusts
- Kate Walberg, Pew Charitable Trusts
"The Flypaper Effect: A Meta-Analysis"
Presenters:
- Luke Spreen, University of Maryland
- Ed Gerrish, University of South Dakota
- Hao Sun, Gallaudet University
- Luis Navarro, Indiana University
Discussant: Yilin Hou, Syracuse University
Capital, Labor, and Infrastructure: Policy Challenges and Solutions | 3:30pm - 5:00pm
"Impact of Fragmented Funding for Capital Improvements: Evidence from Washington"
Presenters:
- Pengju Zhang, Rutgers University - Newark
- Sharon N. Kioko, University of Washington
"Shocks to Fiscal Equilibrium? The Impact of Hurricane Shocks to Local Government Finance"
Presenters:
- Hyewon Kang, Florida International University
- Yu Shi, University of North Texas
"Labor-Capital Substitution in Nursing Homes: Policy Implications of Rising Labor Costs"
Presenter: Ikeya Lady, Indiana University
Discussant: John Bartle, University Nebraska Omaha