Affiliations: [a] Department of Finance and Economics, Texas State
University -- San Marcos, San Marcos, TX, USA | [b] LREC Endowed Chair of Real Estate, Department of
Finance, E.J. Ourso College of Business Administration, Louisiana State
University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA | [c] Department of Environmental Sciences, Louisiana State
University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA | [d] Center for Bioenvironmental Research, Tulane
University, New Orleans, LA, USA
Abstract: We use a space-time dynamic panel model to quantify the impact of Hurricane Ike
on Texas county-level employment for the immediately affected disaster counties
plus neighboring counties. While the hurricane event created a loss of over
314,000 employment in the 44 county disaster area, employment in some counties
gained over 24,000 jobs as a result of rebuilding and clean up efforts
associated with the disaster. These employment impacts were not accurately
reflected in the official government statistics on employment, and we discuss
issues pertaining to this.
