Mark Skidmore

Mark Skidmore is a tenured Professor and Morris Chair in State and Local Government Finance and Policy at Michigan State University (MSU), with a joint appointment in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics and the Economics Department. He serves as a Resident Fellow and Interim Director of MSU Extension's Center for Local Government Finance and Policy. His research focuses on public finance, regional economics, and the economics of natural disasters, with particular emphasis on property taxation, fiscal decentralization, and disaster vulnerability.

• Educations: Ph.D., M.A., and B.A. in Economics from the University of Colorado and University of Washington, respectively.
• Roles: Tenured Professor, Morris Chair, and Interim Director of the MSU Extension Center.

His research explores the interplay between government policies and economic development, including studies on property tax reforms, regional development strategies, and the societal impacts of natural disasters. Notable projects include analyses of Detroit's property tax challenges and Michigan's drinking water infrastructure needs. He has also contributed to policy discussions on tax increment financing, fiscal stress in municipalities, and the economic effects of climate change.

Skidmore has received the 2017-18 AFRE Excellence Awards and has led grant-funded research, such as the USDA grant on rural price inflation. His work bridges academic research with practical policy solutions, emphasizing equitable taxation and resilient urban planning. He teaches courses on public sector budgeting and applied microeconomics at the graduate level.

He has advised numerous students on theses and dissertations, though specific advisee names are not listed here. His collaborations include projects with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and the Sustainable Michigan Endowed Project.