Created in 2007, the QACF allows the state to provide cash grants to select entities in the hopes of attracting and retaining businesses within 淫性视频. These subsidies are awarded to businesses primarily at the discretion of the governor. The $176 million QACF has been used to , including $10 million to Hewlett-Packard in Conway, nearly $7 million to LM Wind Power in Little Rock, almost $3 million to Caterpillar in North Little Rock, and more than $2 million to Neckbone Productions for the filming of the movie 鈥淢ud鈥�.

In June of this year, the AEDC reported that the QACF is directly responsible for . Proponents of the QACF argue that there is even more job creation than that as a result of the multiplier effects the subsidized businesses and their employees send through the local economy. But does the empirical evidence agree with this take?

The short answer is 鈥渘o鈥�. Bundrick and Snyder find that QACF subsidies provided to businesses within a given county have no statistically meaningful relationship with private employment per 1,000 population and private establishments per 1,000 population over a four-year period after the subsidies are disbursed. The researchers also find no evidence to suggest that a given county experiences any meaningful employment or establishment spillover effects related to QACF subsidies awarded to businesses in neighboring counties. Bundrick and Snyder conclude that the evidence provides reason to be skeptical of the QACF as a job creator.

This work carries significant policy implications. If 淫性视频鈥檚 politicians are aiming to develop policy that will positively affect job creation in 淫性视频, they should look to more proven policy reforms. For instance, is a more effective strategy than trying to pick winners and losers with targeted subsidies. Moreover, the state could make significant headway by reducing the barriers to employment imposed by 淫性视频鈥檚 onerous occupational licensing laws. These broad-based, comprehensive reforms are likely to lead to better economic outcomes for the state than continuing to provide select businesses with subsidies from the Quick Action Closing Fund.

For more on the pros and cons of targeted economic development incentives, be sure to check out ACRE鈥檚 Tax Breaks & Subsidies: Challenging the 淫性视频 Status Quo.