Paul Burton is the Northeast Regional Editor for The Bond Buyer. His major coverage has included New York City and MTA finances; the Harrisburg, Pa., debt crisis; the 38 Studios bond financing fiasco in Rhode Island; and unfunded pension liability. Paul hosts podcasts and videos and has moderated at Bond Buyer conferences. Previously, Paul was senior editor and copy chief at M&A-oriented financial media company The Deal LLC. His award-winning career has spanned financial, sports and political journalism. A Boston native, Paul is the author of the book “Tales from the Newsrooms.” He is a frequent public speaker and has appeared as an expert on municipal debt on radio and television shows, including former CBS News White House correspondent Sharyl Attkisson’s public-affairs program, “Full Measure.”
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A federal agency called off a settlement announcement regarding the lawsuit challenging Rhode Island's pension overhaul law, while a judge set a September trial date.
February 12 - Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania House Speaker Sam Smith will not seek re-election, ending a 27-year legislative career.
February 12 -
The Harrisburg, Pa., City Council tabled a vote to authorize up to $4 million to issue tax and revenue anticipation notes, while it OK'd a $78 million budget.
February 12 -
Harrisburg and its firefighters union agreed on concessions that will enable Pennsylvania's distressed capital to balance its budget.
February 11 -
ConnecticutThe Center on Budget and Policy Priorities rated Connecticut first among the 50 states in long-term budget planning.
February 10 -
New YorkNew York Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke in general terms about addressing income inequality in his annual State of the City address.
February 10 -
GeorgiaLaw firm Squire Sanders added public-private partnership veteran Roderick Devlin to its public and infrastructure practice group
February 7 -
Heavily tolled residents and commercial drivers on Staten Island who use New York City's Verrazano-Narrows Bridge will get a break, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
February 6 -
ConnecticutConnecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy called for universal pre-kindergarten and other educational initiatives in his budget speech, as well as rainy-day and pension-fund payments
February 6 -
Widener University School of Law's Harrisburg, Pa., campus has scheduled a daylong conference on municipal financial distress for April.
February 5 -
PennsylvaniaPittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto inherits a city on the upswing, but wants it to remain under state oversight while he works out a long-term financial plan.
February 5 -
PennsylvaniaAllentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski withdrew from the Pennsylvania governor's race and backed state treasurer and fellow Democrat Rob McCord.
February 4 -
PennsylvaniaGov. Tom Corbett on Tuesday proposed a $29.4 billion budget for Pennsylvania that included a renewed call to tweak the pension system for state employees.
February 4 -
Contingent liabilities for nonessential, noncore enterprises pose huge credit risk for some local governments, Moody's said in a report that cited Harrisburg.
February 3 - Rhode Island
Moody's Investors Service upgraded North Providence, R.I.'s general obligation bond rating to A3 from Baa1, affecting $25.4 million in debt.
February 3 -
PennsylvaniaNew Mayor Bill Peduto wants Pittsburgh to firm up a long-term program of payments in lieu of taxes with the many nonprofit organizations while staying in Pennsylvania's Act 47 program for cities in fiscal distress.
January 31 -
Harrisburg, Pa., officials seek $2 million in the municipal budget to issue tax and revenue anticipation notes, which would mark a return to the debt markets.
January 31 - Connecticut
Connecticut's two largest pension funds generated investment returns exceeding 14% in 2013, Treasurer Denise Nappier announced.
January 31 -
New YorkNew York City and its labor unions should hash out contracts soon to preserve the city's double-A bond ratings, said city Comptroller Scott Stringer.
January 31 - New York
New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer called for an overhaul of pension fund oversight, including a ban on private placement agents across all asset classes.
January 30
