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.”
- Connecticut
The Connecticut Bond Commission voted 8 to 2 to spend $800,000 for a new electronic-vote tally board for its House of Representatives, over the objections of the two Republicans on the commission.
By Paul BurtonOctober 31 -
Harrisburg, Pa., Mayor Linda Thompson has requested that the judge overseeing the City Council's bankruptcy filing authorize expenses to vendors.
By Paul BurtonOctober 28 -
With the appointments two weeks ago of Joseph Lhota and Patrick Foye as heads of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, respectively, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has his own people in charge of the two major agencies.
By Paul BurtonOctober 28 - Vermont
The initial cleanup and stabilization of Vermont’s state office complex in Waterbury will cost $20 million to $25 million in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene, officials said.
By Paul BurtonOctober 28 - Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett has announced the investment of $84 million in 18 non-point source, drinking water, and wastewater projects in 14 counties.
By Paul BurtonOctober 28 -
Auditor general Jack Wagner called for increased investment in Pennsylvania’s crumbling roads and bridges, echoing suggestions made by Gov. Tom Corbett’s advisory commission over the summer.
By Paul BurtonOctober 28 - New York
Hispanics are among the most potent market forces in the American economy, yet inadequate access to capital constrains them, New York City Comptroller John Liu said at a banking conference last week.
By Paul BurtonOctober 28 - New York
Time is running short for Nassau County officials to have a new arena in place for the New York Islanders, National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman implored last week.
By Paul BurtonOctober 28 -
New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s $30.1 billion of outstanding debt contains about $5.2 billion of variable-rate debt, of which $3 billion is in synthetic fixed-rate mode achieved through interest-rate swaps, according to a derivatives portfolio report.
By Paul BurtonOctober 28 -
Moody’s Investors Service has assigned a Aa2 to the University of Massachusetts’ $28.1 million of tax-exempt, fixed-rate Series 2011 revenue refunding bonds.
By Paul BurtonOctober 28 - Connecticut
Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy was scheduled late Thursday to sign a jobs bill that called for nearly $1 billion of bonds, including a controversial $291 million to help genetics research concern Jackson Laboratory build a $1.1 billion center at the University of Connecticut Health Center.
By Paul BurtonOctober 27 - New York
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Comptroller John Liu on Thursday announced an agreement in principle to overhaul the management of the city's five pension funds totaling $120 billion and place a chief investment officer and a singular pension board in charge.
By Paul BurtonOctober 27 -
Harrisburg's City Council will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. Monday with Mayor Linda Thompson and Pennsylvania officials to discuss recently enacted legislation authorizing a state takeover of the city.
By Paul BurtonOctober 27 - Puerto Rico
Moody's Investors Service assigned a negative outlook to the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority's $8.23 billion of outstanding power revenue bonds while affirming its A3 rating.
By Paul BurtonOctober 26 -
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is said to be chugging ahead with an outside-the-box - and outside-the-state - proposal to further extend the No. 7 subway line to New Jersey, according to a New York Post report that said he will spend the next few months planning for it.
By Paul BurtonOctober 26 - New York
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey plans a $400 million sale of new money and refunding bonds by competitive bid on Wednesday.
By Paul BurtonOctober 25 - Massachusetts
The Massachusetts School Building Authority plans a $600 million sale of Series 2011B senior dedicated sales tax bonds through negotiated bid on Thursday after a one-day retail order period.
By Paul BurtonOctober 25 -
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett late Monday declared a fiscal emergency in Harrisburg, calling the move necessary to ensure maintenance of vital municipal services.
By Paul BurtonOctober 24 - New York
New York City's defined-benefit pension plans can deliver the same retirement income at a nearly 40% lower cost than a 401(k)-type individual account, according to a report.
By Paul BurtonOctober 21 - Rhode Island
Rhode Island, the nation's smallest state, has a big problem - unfunded pensions. And it's not alone.
By Paul BurtonOctober 21




