Special Report
Stimulus
Maximizing the Opportunity
Click here to see the full supplement
Trend in the Region
GO Zone Act Wraps Up Successfully
By Shelly Sigo, Jim Watts | Dec 29The one-year extension of the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act expires Saturday, ending the six-year period that Congress gave three Gulf Coast states to issue more than $15 billion of so-called GO Zone bonds. [Free]
Build America Bonds
Scarcity Value Gives BABs a Boost
Bonds Appreciate And Outperform
By James Ramage | Jun 08When the Build America Bond program ended there were two schools of thought. One argued that BABs would become an orphan class, with prices in the secondary market suffering from illiquidity. Another group thought there would be some scarcity value to the product and they would appreciate in value. [Free]
House Dems Seek BABs, Infrastructure Bank, and Rail
By Patrick Temple-West | Jun 07A coalition of House Democrats is calling for Build America Bonds, a national infrastructure bank, and high-speed rail as part of a plan to improve transportation and stimulate job growth.
Build America Bonds
Report Urges Capping Munis, Adding BABs
By Patrick Temple-West | May 02WASHINGTON — A federal cap on tax-exempt bonds could gradually wean investors and issuers off the muni market and toward a permanent, expanded Build America Bond market that has a flexible subsidy rate, a new report from the Center for American Progress argues.
Rockefeller Bill Would Extend QZABs, QSCBs Through 2015
By Patrick Temple-West | Apr 21Sen. John D. Rockefeller, D-W.Va., has introduced legislation to extend stimulus law authorizations for qualified zone academy bonds and qualified school construction bonds through 2015 and allow the debt to be issued with federal payments to issuers.
Mica Blasts 'Squandered' Rail Funds, Cites GAO Reports
By Lynn Hume | Apr 12WASHINGTON — House Transportation Committee chairman Rep. John Mica on Monday charged the Obama administration failed to justify many of the high-speed rail and so-called TIGER transportation grants it made to state and local governments.
Fast-Rail Money Draws More Than 90 Applicants
By Lynn Hume | Apr 07WASHINGTON — The Department of Transportation has received more than 90 applications from 24 states, the District of Columbia, and Amtrak seeking a total of nearly $10 billion for high-speed rail projects — more than four times the $2.4 billion available from Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s cancellation of a project in his state.
Blended Bonds for WTC Site
Goldman to Run $1.3B Liberty Deal
By Michelle Kaske | Apr 05Officials anticipate blending fixed-rate bonds and floating-rate debt to grab a lower all-in borrowing cost on $1.28 billion of tax-exempt Liberty revenue bonds that will help finance construction at the World Trade Center.
Trend in the Region
Competition Heats Up in the South As TIFIA Loans Make a Comeback
By Patrick Temple-West | Mar 31Several Southeast transportation managers hope to score big savings this spring for their projects as they compete against each other and other projects nationally for a handful of low-interest federal loans.
LaHood Favors Interstate Tolling Over Gas-Tax Hike
By Patrick Temple-West | Mar 03Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Wednesday that he is open to interstate tolling, which could provide funds for the Obama administration’s ambitious agenda, as an alternative to raising the federal gas tax, the current source of revenues for most transportation projects.
