Karen is a senior reporter covering the Southwest. She has covered the municipal bond market for more than 30 years at The Bond Buyer and Reuters. Prior to that she wrote about futures and options markets for magazines and was an award-winning reporter for a suburban Chicago newspaper chain.
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Municipal bond underwriters for Texas deals now have until Dec. 16 to comply with changes to the agreements and to their standing letters of compliance with two state laws banning contracts with companies that "boycott" or "discriminate" against the fossil fuel or firearm industries.
November 21 -
While the state is boosting the budget reserve, it's also forecasting $1.4 billion in additional fiscal 2024 revenue that would be partially offset by spending pressures.
November 21 -
Recommendations from an actuary on the city's police and fire pensions come amid a rising unfunded liability and uncertainty over the use of pension bonds.
November 20 -
The amount of unspent funding for state and local capital projects is at a historically high $5 billion as projects struggle with rising construction costs.
November 16 -
The Metropolitan Airports Commission will sell about $125 million of bonds to complete its share of financing for the largest interior renovation of 61-year-old Terminal 1.
November 15 -
Flush with bond authorization from the Nov. 7 election, officials are formulating issuance plans, while Colorado's governor called lawmakers back to session after a property tax cut measure was defeated by voters.
November 13 -
A group of taxpayers argue that a property tax increase approved by Austin voters in 2020 for light rail cannot be used to support bonds.
November 9 -
A subpoena sent to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission this week seeks communications related to 2021's Winter Storm Uri and nearly $3 billion of utility securitizations that priced in 2022.
November 9 -
An increase in tax collections helped fuel the flow of billions of excess dollars into the state's previous budget, although growth in key sales tax revenue has slowed.
November 7 -
Attorney General Ken Paxton put several big banks under a review last month, raising concerns more municipal bond underwriters could be driven out of the state.
November 6 -
A U.S. Bankruptcy Court hearing Monday will take up the university's winning bid for Mercy Hospital at last week's reopened auction.
November 1 -
The rating agency cited ongoing positive financial and enplanement trends at the airport, which is planning a refunding.
October 31 -
Public schools account for most of the $28.48 billion of bonds on Texas ballots Nov. 7.
October 30 -
The Grand River Dam Authority, the state's largest public power utility, is expected to start issuing the debt later this year.
October 27 -
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer chose Jen Flood, her deputy chief of staff, to replace Chris Harkins who is leaving state government later this year.
October 26 -
A $25.5 million cash offer plus some equity was made to acquire Legacy Park, which was financed with $284 million of now-defaulted revenue bonds.
October 25 -
Record-breaking hot temperatures in the Southwest this summer likely had economic consequences and could focus the municipal bond market on heat-related credit risks and infrastructure needs.
October 23 -
The state's strong reserves contributed to brighter rating outlooks from Moody's Investors Service and, earlier this year, S&P Global Ratings.
October 19 -
The rating agency raised the city's general obligation and sales tax securitization bond ratings a notch to BBB-plus and AA-plus respectively.
October 19 -
The $500 million of revenue bonds to initially finance a $5 billion controversial expansion program were priced amid a turbulent market.
October 18
