Paul Burton

They may not have headline-grabbing white elephant incinerators or sewer systems entangled in incomprehensible derivatives, but many local governments face mounting strain from another, quiet source they all share — workforce costs.

Harrisburg has named Ricardo Mendez-Saldivia business administrator and chief of staff, Mayor Linda Thompson announced Friday.

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority has purchased 300 new rail cars for $600 million.

The Fair Lawn, N.J., Board of Education expects to refund its bonds and take advantage of lower interest rates.

Connecticut is the first public-sector issuer to receive a rating from Kroll Bond Ratings, state Treasurer Denise Nappier announced.

In the latest dramatic twist to the incinerator debt saga in Harrisburg, Pa., David Unkovic quit Friday as the city's state-appointed receiver.

Harrisburg, Pa.'s state-appointed receiver has asked the U.S. attorney and Pennsylvania attorney general to examine the incinerator bond deals that left the capital city with more than $300 million of debt that it can't repay.

Pension overhaul will save New York City less money in the next few years than had been expected, according to a new analysis.

Nancy Winkler recalled speaking with an investor, shortly after taking over as Philadelphia's city treasurer. The conversation, she said, is an effective warning that cities on the rebound must sell themselves effectively to investors.

While the municipal bond market is still strong, experts agree that increasing local financial strain makes the landscape more complex.

Pennsylvania’s program for distressed communities provides only temporary help, and other measures are necessary for the long-term health of cities, former Gov. Edward Rendell said Tuesday.

Judge Todd Hoover in the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas has ruled that Pennsylvania’s municipal takeover law, passed in October, does not prevent the separate appointment of a receiver to operate the trash burner on behalf of creditors.

Rhode Island General Treasurer Gina Raimondo is opposing an attempt by Gov. Lincoln Chafee to reduce a $2.6 million taxpayer obligation to the pension fund.

Rhode Island General Treasurer Gina Raimondo is opposing an attempt by Gov. Lincoln Chafee to reduce a $2.6 million taxpayer obligation to the pension fund.

Reeling Providence received another rating downgrade late Monday when Moody's Investors Service lowered the Rhode Island capital's general obligation bond rating one level to Baa1 from A3, affecting $55.6 million of outstanding debt.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has approved the request by New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority to fully fund the last three years of the agency’s five-year capital plan and lift its bond cap by $7 billion.

The New York Liberty Development Corp., which issues debt to help rebuild the World Trade Center, led the inaugural Bond Buyer 100 list of top bond issuers for 2011.

Some lawmakers want to fine-tune Pennsylvania's program for distressed communities, commonly known as Act 47, after it took a serious blow last fall from a state Supreme Court ruling about public employee arbitration.

Harrisburg’s City Council will schedule a public hearing within days over the Pennsylvania capital’s missing audits from 2009 and 2010.

With the Pennsylvania General Assembly considering legislation to rework the redevelopment assistance capital program, state Treasurer Rob McCord offered additional changes that he said would enhance the capital budget process.