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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Former Harrisburg, Pa., mayor Stephen Reed blamed initially low cost estimates for incinerator-related debt that ballooned into a $340 million debt crisis.
October 4 -
Investigator Steven Goldfield of Public Resources Advisory Group told a Pennsylvania Senate committee frequent red flags were ignored while Harrisburg incinerator-related debt spiraled.
October 4 -
New York City's Municipal Water Finance Authority is scheduled to price $200 million of second resolution, adjustable rate tax-exempt bonds through negotiation.
October 3 -
New York's MTA has strengthened its financial condition over the past two years, but still faces continued challenges, said state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
October 3 - Massachusetts
Massachusetts conducted its two recent bond deals conducted at what state officials called unprecedented low interest rates, officials said Tuesday.
October 2 -
Highmark has sued West Penn Allegheny Health for calling off their $475 million merger, calling the action a contract breach and "a flight from reality."
October 2 -
Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy and the U.S. Department of Transportation announced the release of $121 million for the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail program.
October 2 -
Harrisburg, Pa., has enough cash through November and delaying payments to some vendors could help it make through the end of the year, a state official said.
October 1 -
Rhode Island's state-appointed receiver has scheduled two auctions this month for the assets of failed video-game company 38 Studios.
October 1 - Pennsylvania
Moody's placed the Caa1 rating of West Penn Allegheny Health System, one of the top speculative-grade issuers, under review after a merger fell through.
October 1 -
Pennsylvania, the latest state to issue unemployment compensation revenue bonds, plans to go to market Monday and Tuesday with $2.6 billion.
September 28 -
A labor coalition wants New York's MTA to renegotiate or cancel interest-rate swaps on bond deals, while the agency says it still saves money on them.
September 28 - Pennsylvania
Bond-rating downgrades to Pennsylvania communities will outpace upgrades over 12 to 18 months as local governments continue to face credit pressure, according to Moody's.
September 28 - Rhode Island
Mayoral election dates are set in Central Falls, R.I. where Mayor Charles Moreau resigned after pleading guilty in a kickback scheme.
September 28 -
Harrisburg City Council member Brad Koplinski introduced legislation to allow the sale of the city's Wild West artifacts to proceed.
September 28 -
The Allegheny County Airport Authority, Pa. is requesting bids for natural-gas drilling at Pittsburgh International and Allegheny County airports.
September 28 - New York
New York City announced plans to build the world's biggest ferris wheel and a designer outlet complex next to the ferry terminal on Staten Island.
September 27 -
After a raucous public speaking session and sniping between chairman Joe Lhota and board member Charles Moerdler, New York's MTA tweaked its advertising policy and meeting schedule.
September 27 - Rhode Island
Rhode Island's Health and Educational Building Corp. sold $15 million in bonds for health projects and safety repairs for schools in distressed East Providence.
September 26 - New York
The New York City Housing Authority has announced plans to build private housing on its underused land and tap a HUD program for $500 million in bond money.
September 26
